Eleven people were killed and dozens hospitalised last month as IPL victory celebrations in Bengaluru took a tragic turn. A central tribunal has now held the Royal Challengers Bengaluru responsible for a devastating incident — noting that appropriate permissions had not been taken before the event.
“Prima facie it appears that the RCB is responsible for the gathering of about three to five lakh people…It cannot be expected from the Police that within a short time of about 12 hours, the Police will make all arrangements required in the Police Act or in the other rules, etc. Police personnel are also human beings,” LiveLaw quoted the Central Administrative Tribunal bench as saying.
The CAT also quashed the Karnataka government order suspending senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash after the stampede. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah subsequently told reporters that there was an opportunity for the state to appeal against the CAT order. The order challenged by Vikash had also included the names of then Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and DCP Shekar H Tekkannavar.
The CAT has ordered the Karnataka government to reinstate Vikash immediately and treat the suspension period as though he had been on duty with full pay and allowances. The bench comprising Judicial Member Justice B K Shrivastava and Member Santosh Mehra also called for similar benefits to be given to the other officers suspended through the Karnataka government order.
“The RCB did not take the appropriate permission or consent from the Police…suddenly, they posted on social media platforms and as a result of aforesaid information the public were gathered…To control the aforesaid type of gathering and for making the proper arrangements sufficient time should be given to the Police,” it added.