'IPs Officer's Suspended Dismissal Defended by Karnataka Administration Labeled as 'Servants of RCB''
In the aftermath of the tragic stampede at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium during the Indian Premier League (IPL) victory celebration, the Karnataka government has faced criticism for its handling of the event. The government argued that police officers, including IPS officer Vikash Kumar, acted improperly by prioritising the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) victory celebration without following proper protocols.
According to reports, RCB submitted a proposal for victory celebrations to police officials before the final IPL match. However, the officers did not obtain the required authorisation for a large public gathering, leading to operational lapses and a serious dereliction of duty. The police are empowered to act decisively in such situations under Section 35 of the Karnataka State Police Act, but the officers failed to exercise that authority.
The government contended that the simplest action would have been for the officers to inform RCB that they had no permission for the event, which could have led to legal recourse. Instead, the officers were criticised for arranging security without necessary approvals. Senior Counsel P.S. Rajagopal mentioned that making arrangements for a massive crowd in under 12 hours was impractical, and it is unclear what proactive measures the suspended officer, Vikash Kumar, might have implemented during that time.
On July 2, Vikash resumed duties in uniform following the Advocate General's information to the High Court. He is the only one among five suspended officers to challenge the decision before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), the others being Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, DCP Shekar H Tekkannavar, ACP C Balakrishna, and Inspector A K Girish.
The CAT quashed the suspension order of Vikash Kumar, suggesting there might have been some view that his role or actions were not entirely in line with the criticism levied by the government. However, the reasoning behind the CAT's decision and the specific measures taken by Vikash Kumar remain unclear from the available information. The AG insisted the suspension was well-supported by records and sought a stay of the CAT ruling.
The Court refused to stay the CAT order and listed the matter for a detailed hearing the following day. The Tribunal held that the police could not be expected to perform miracles, despite recognising that RCB's actions triggered the crowd build-up. The Tribunal's observation that "police personnel are also human beings, not God or magicians" was criticised as an inappropriate narrative more suited for storytelling by grandparents.
Senior Counsel Dhyan Chinnappa, representing Vikash, assured the court that no contempt proceedings would be initiated. The case is now set for a detailed hearing, where more details about the specific measures taken by Vikash Kumar during the critical period leading up to the IPL victory celebration may come to light.
- Despite the tragedy, the role of sports and its influence on public gatherings, including the responsibility of teams and organizers to ensure health and safety protocols, has become a topic of discussion in general-news.
- The unauthorized arrangement of security for the victory celebration of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the political implications of the incident, and the accountability of law enforcement officials in ensuring public safety are issues under the scrutiny of crime-and-justice news reports.
