The one-man commission headed by retired Karnataka High Court judge Michael D’Cunha has found policing failure to be the main cause for the stampede that claimed 11 lives outside Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4. It has also held the IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and other private organisers responsible for the tragedy.
In the two-volume report submitted to the government on Friday, July 11, the Justice D’Cunha Commission blamed the tragedy mainly on the police’s failure to control the crowd, Kannada daily Prajavani reported. It has also recommended appropriate action against the officers concerned. The Commission also blamed the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), RCB, and the event organiser DNA Entertainment Networks Private Ltd.
The report is likely to be discussed during the next Cabinet meeting on July 17.
The government had set up the commission headed by Justice Michael D’Cunha after 11 people died in the stampede that occurred during the celebrations held after RCB’s victory in the last IPL season.
The stampede had led to public furore, following which the state government suspended three police officers including the then Commissioner B Dayananda, and also ordered a magisterial inquiry by the Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner. One of the police officers challenged his suspension in the Central Administrative Tribunal.
The Karnataka High Court had also taken up a Public Interest Litigation on the matter.