‘This shouldn’t have happened’: New Bengaluru police chief vows remedial measures to prevent stampede

BENGALURU: Newly appointed Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh on Friday stressed the need for remedial measures to prevent future tragedies like Wednesday’s stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium, calling the incident unacceptable and vowing accountability.

He confirmed that several people have been arrested in connection with the stampede incident. An investigation is under way and the case will be transferred to the CID for further probe. “We have formed teams; we have arrested a few people. Legal work is going on and the case will be transferred to CID”, Singh said.

#WATCH | Karnataka: On Bengaluru stampede, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh says, “We have formed teams, we have arrested a few people. Legal work is going on and the case will be transferred to CID. However, how this happened and why it happened – it… pic.twitter.com/DLW6lnVFwL

— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2025

The Commissioner expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and to those who suffered in the incident and emphasised the need for remedial measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

“However, how this happened and why it happened — it should not happen in future and my condolences to the people who have suffered in this, to the families of those who have died — This should not have happened, it has happened but we have to see remedial measures that it should not happen in the future”, he added.

#WATCH | Karnataka: Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh says, “…I have just taken charge previous night. Because of some circumstances, I was made to immediately take charge. As far as Bengaluru City Police is concerned, it’s a very big city and the City… pic.twitter.com/0tnI88V2xO

— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2025

Seemanth Kumar Singh was named as the new Bengaluru Police Commissioner hours after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah suspended top cop B Dayananda and other top officials in the wake of the stampede that killed 11 people. The government on Thursday suspended top police officials at the Cubbon Park police station and formed a one-man commission under a retired High Court Judge to probe the incident.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “B Dayanand, Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City; Vikas Kumar Vikash, Additional Commissioner of Police, West Division; Shekhar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division); Balakrishna, ACP, Cubbon Park Division and Girish, Inspector, Cubbon Park Police Station along with Station House Master, Station House Office and Cricket Stadium in-charge have been suspended immediately”.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Friday asserted that the government has done its best to give justice and will soon devise a plan to ensure such events do not happen in the future.

Speaking with the media, Shivakumar said, “My Chief Minister was kind enough to announce a judicial inquiry. Action has been taken on some of them. Investigation is underway. Action has been taken, and the case has been handed over to the CID. What more can the Government do? The government has done its best to give justice, and we will come up with a plan of action to ensure that such events don’t happen in future.”

On the BJP asking for his resignation, Shivakumar said that they (BJP) are trying to do politics on dead bodies. “Let them (BJP) demand (my resignation). They (BJP) are trying to do politics on the dead bodies. We don’t want to do politics,” the Karnataka DyCM said.

Karnataka Police filed an FIR against the Karnataka Cricket Board Administrative Committee, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), among others, in the Bengaluru stampede incident. In response, KSCA has filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking the quashing of FIRs filed against it.

Eleven people died and more than 40 were injured in the stampede as a huge crowd of nearly 3 lakh people had gathered to witness the victory celebration of Royal Challengers Bengaluru for winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Wednesday. (ANI)