Amid growing anger against the state government for the Chinnaswamy stampede on June 4, it has now emerged that the Bengaluru Police had warned against holding an event at Vidhana Soudha “hastily,” as “lakhs of cricket fans” would gather at Vidhana Soudha.
The Deputy Police Commissioner (DCP) Vidhana Soudha Security, MN Karibasavana Gouda, wrote to Sathyavathi G, Secretary to Government, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), on June 4, saying that the event should not be hastily organised as they did not have enough personnel to organise security for such an event at short notice.
The DCP’s note was in response to a letter written by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to the DPAR on June 3, seeking permission to allow DNA Entertainment Networks Private Limited to organise a felicitation ceremony at the Vidhana Soudha Grand Steps. The letter said that the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister “shall be gracing the occasion and felicitating the RCB players and support staff.”
The DPAR had sought the opinion of the DCP, who warned, “Since the programme is being organised hastily and there is a possibility that lakhs of cricket fans will gather near Vidhana Soudha, it will be difficult to organise bandobast for the event, as we have a shortage of officers and security personnel.”
“Because the Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricket team has a huge fan following, time is required to arrange for officers and staff from other jurisdictions. For such a large event, coordination between the law and order and traffic divisions is necessary, but there is a shortage of time,” the DCP’s letter says.
To make the crowds manageable, the DCP said that the public should not be issued online or offline passes to enter Vidhana Soudha on June 4. He also asked the DPAR to issue orders to its staff and officials not to bring their families to the event that was to be organised at 4 pm and declare a holiday for the staff from the afternoon onwards.
The DCP also notes that Vidhana Soudha was a “vital installation” and that CCTV cameras had been sought for its security but not provided, and hence, the lack of CCTV cameras would pose an obstacle for security arrangements.
The DCP also noted that the Public Works Department (PWD) would have to provide a “fitness certificate” for the makeshift stage as well as electricity supply, and the stage would have to be ready to be assessed two hours before the event.
In addition, an anti-sabotage check would also be carried out two hours before the event, the DCP’s letter said. The letter also noted that anti-drone systems may be needed, as there was a possibility of people using drone cameras.
After listing these concerns, the letter repeats that “there is a need for more time” to organise such an event in Vidhana Soudha, as it is a “vital installation” and a heritage structure and is not damaged in any way. The letter ends by saying, “Despite this, the police will act per the decision of the government.”
Poor coordination between the police, the state government, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and agencies representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru resulted in massive crowds gathering around Chinnaswamy Stadium and Vidhana Soudha, where two felicitation events had been organised back-to-back on June 4.
TNM had previously reported that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s political secretary K Govindaraj, facilitated a meeting between the CM and Karnataka State Cricket Association and RCB officials on the morning of June 4, hours before the celebrations.
While it is still unclear who permitted the event on the grand steps of the Vidhana Soudha, the Chief Minister’s X account had tweeted about it at 1 pm.
Meanwhile, RCB’s social media accounts kept posting about a victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium since 7 am on June 4, and that free passes would be issued. TNM had previously reported that the then Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda had flatly refused to allow it.