Bengaluru Stampede: KSCA Secretary and Treasurer Resign Citing Moral Responsibility

KSCA Secretary and Treasurer Resign Following Fatal Bengaluru Stampede

In the wake of the tragic stampede at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday, June 3rd, which claimed 11 lives during an event to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL victory, two top officials of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) have resigned. Secretary A Shankar and Treasurer ES Jairam announced their resignations on Saturday, June 7th, citing "moral responsibility" for the devastating incident.⁴

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KSCA Officials Step Down; Arrests Made

In a joint statement, Shankar and Jairam confirmed they tendered their resignations on June 6th, acknowledging that while their role in the event was "very limited," they felt compelled to accept moral responsibility for the "unforeseen and unfortunate events." This development came a day after both the KSCA and RCB had approached the Karnataka High Court in connection with First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against them. The KSCA has maintained in its petition that its involvement was confined to renting out the stadium, placing responsibility for ticketing and crowd control with the event organizer, RCB, and law enforcement.

Concurrently, Bengaluru city police on Friday arrested four individuals attempting to board a flight from Kempegowda International Airport. Those arrested include RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosale, and three individuals from the event management company, DNA Entertainment Private Limited. They have been produced before a magistrate and sent to 14-day judicial custody.

High Court Intervenes

The Karnataka High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the tragedy, initiating proceedings on its own accord. A single-judge bench granted interim protection from arrest to other senior KSCA officials, on the condition that they cooperate fully with the ongoing police investigation. The court has directed the state government to submit a comprehensive status report on the matter by the next hearing date, June 10th.⁹

The resignations of two senior KSCA officials and the arrest of key event-related personnel mark significant developments in the aftermath of the fatal stampede. With the Karnataka High Court now overseeing the matter, the focus intensifies on the investigation to determine accountability for the series of events that led to the tragic loss of life at the stadium.

Picture source: TNIE