Karnataka drops charges against police officers in Bengaluru IPL stampede case

2 min readBengaluruJul 15, 2026 03:59 PM IST

The Karnataka government has formally exonerated three senior IPS officers by closing departmental inquiries linked to the 2025 Bengaluru IPL victory stampede (File photo).

More than a year after the stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru that led to 11 deaths, the Karnataka government Tuesday formally closed disciplinary proceedings against three senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, completely exonerating them of all charges.

The state government dropped departmental inquiries against B Dayananda, former Police Commissioner; Vikash Kumar Vikash, former Additional Commissioner of Police; and Shekhar H Tekkannavar, former Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central). The government said it had reached its decision after reviewing each officer’s written defence alongside the administrative department’s recommendations.

The case dates back to June 4, 2025, when a massive crowd had gathered to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)’s first Indian Premier League (IPL) win. The celebration turned deadly when a sudden crowd surge led to a stampede, killing 11 fans and leaving over 30 others severely injured.

In the immediate aftermath of the stampede, the then-Siddaramaiah government took disciplinary action against five top police officers deemed accountable for security lapses. Suspensions were slapped on B Dayananda, Vikash Kumar Vikash, Shekhar H Tekkannavar, Assistant Commissioner of Police C Balakrishna, and Cubbon Park Inspector A K Girish. It was the first time in Karnataka’s history that the government suspended a sitting Bengaluru city police commissioner.

Suspensions lifted after one month

The government lifted suspensions for everyone except Vikash in July 2025, but he contested his case before the Central Administrative Tribunal. The tribunal ruled in his favour, setting aside the suspension and urging the government to extend the same treatment to his colleagues, after which his suspension was also withdrawn.

By September 8, 2025, all five police officers had submitted detailed written defences to the home department, refuting the allegations of negligence and formally demanding a full exoneration.

A judicial commission led by Justice Michael D’Cunha blamed the organisers, including RCB, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and the event management partner DNA Entertainment Networks, for “reckless announcements” and failing to coordinate with the police.

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A parallel magisterial inquiry, conducted by the then-Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner G Jagadeesha, also found that the organisers had failed to secure mandatory clearances for the IPL victory parade.