The Karnataka High Court has decided to scrutinize the state governmentโs standard operating procedures (SOPs) for managing large public gatherings, in light of the tragic stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4 that claimed 11 lives and injured several others.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi raised the issue during the hearing of a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) initiated after the incident, which occurred during celebrations of the Royal Challengers Bengaluruโs IPL victory. The bench asked Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty whether an SOP was in place for crowd control, citing last weekโs stampede at Haridwarโs Mansadevi temple to underscore the significance of robust protocols for mass events.
Responding to the court, Shetty confirmed that a revised SOP had been released by the government on July 1, after the Bengaluru tragedy. He sought time to formally submit the document, a request the court granted.
The updated SOP, according to the state, emphasizes early planning, inter-departmental coordination, behavioural risk assessments, prioritization of life safety, and measures for de-escalation during overcrowded events.
The state government also informed the court that the judicial commission constituted to investigate the June 4 stampede had completed its inquiry and submitted its report to the cabinet. However, the report has not yet been discussed by the cabinet or shared with all involved parties.
This delay prompted objections from senior advocate Sampath Kumar, representing DNA Entertainment Networksโthe event management firm involved in organizing the RCB celebration and a respondent in the suo motu PIL. Kumar questioned how sections of the media accessed the report while his client had not. He requested the court to direct the government to furnish a copy of the report to DNA, stressing that media coverage was damaging the firmโs reputation.
Kumar also made similar submissions before another bench comprising Justices Jayant Banerji and Umesh Adiga, which is hearing DNAโs separate petition challenging the commissionโs inquiry and findings. While the court said it would consider DNAโs arguments, it directed the government to submit a copy of the report for โits eyes onlyโ to aid in adjudication. The advocate general assured the bench that the report would be submitted by August 5.
Meanwhile, Home Minister G Parameshwara stated that former Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayananda, whose suspension was recently revoked along with three other officers, would not return to his previous post. Instead, he would be reassigned to another role matching his rank.
