Retired senior police officers have urged Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to revoke the suspension of Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayanand, his deputy, and three others over the stampede last week at a rally to celebrate the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL win.
They have pointed to Mr Dayanand's "unblemished record of service and integrity" and said the five suspended police officers had been "victimised" and made "fall guys" while those "whose haste and over-enthusiasm, and reluctance to take a stand, contributed to the tragedy... managed to get away".
Two open letters have been addressed to the Congress leader, one of which also refers to "tacit support of the (state) government" in allowing the rally to be held despite police warnings.
The first was from 30 high-ranking ex-cops, including ex-CBI chief DR Karthikeyan and Satish Sahney and Dr KK Paul, the former Police Commissioners of Mumbai and Delhi respectively.
The second was from the Indian Police Foundation, a multi-disciplinary think tank currently led by RS Mooshahary, the former Meghalaya Governor and ex-Director-General of Assam Police.
What 30 Ex-Cops Said
In their letter the 30 ex-cops pointed out Bengaluru Police had "expressed reservations" about the celebratory rally. The local police station, i.e., the Cubbon Park Police Station and senior police officers had pointed to the "lack of time to prepare for the humongous crowds..."
The city police, the 30 ex-cops wrote to the Chief Minister, "conveyed in writing... the danger of acceding to the request to organise a function hours after the final..." and advised the government and the cricket bodies to defer the programme by four days, i.e., June 8.
Suspended Bengaluru Police Commisisioner B Dayanand (File)
"... appears no written directions were given to the police (to) overrule their objections. The organisers, meanwhile, kept inviting fans... professional advice of police officers was not heeded, and the organisers went ahead, presumably with tacit support of the government."
"The consequences of disregarding professional police advice are there to see..." the 30 ex-cops wrote, pointing out also that a judicial panel's report is to be filed within a month and that it would be "fair and proper to take action only after the findings are known..."
What Police Foundation Think Tank Said
The second letter, from the IPF, was in a similar tone, but also warned the state government that suspension of the senior cops, before the judicial inquiry is complete, risks demoralising other police personnel and "undermining institutional integrity".
"Large public events... especially when held at such short notice... require coordinated efforts by multiple civic, administrative, and political agencies. To isolate the police for punitive action, while other stakeholders escape scrutiny, distorts the reality of shared responsibility..."
The IPF called for the reinstatement of Mr Dayanand and other suspended cops, who have also been backed by the former's predecessor, Bhaskar Rao, who told NDTV the sacking was "unacceptable". "Dayanand and his team safeguarded the city... he has been bulldozed."
READ | What Kiran Bedi, Ex-Top Cop Bhaskar Rao Said On Suspension, Stampede
Mr Rao also blamed the Chief Minister and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, for the situation, saying their eagerness to be associated with the winning RCB team led to precautions being ignored.
Eleven people were killed and 47 injured in the stampede at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, in connection with which four people, including a senior RCB employee, have been arrested.
VIDEO | People Jump Metro Gates On Day Of Deadly Bengaluru Stampede
The state government has been accused of mismanagement in this matter, which has also spawned a political slugfest between the Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.
'No Time To...': NDTV Reviews Cops' Letter
On Sunday NDTV accessed a letter from Deputy Commissioner of Police (Vidhan Soudha) MN Karibasavana Gowda to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms.
This was written on June 4, a day after the IPL 2025 final and the Bengaluru team's historic win.
Mr Gowda had warned against holding any victory event at the Vidhan Soudha, where victorious team members were to meet the Chief Minister. He said "lakhs of cricket fans" would be drawn to the event and that it would "create security challenges due to a shortage of officers/staff..."
The victory rally itself was therefore to be held at the stadium, which cannot hold more than 35,000 people. By 3.30 pm on the fateful day there were an estimated two lakh people around the stadium.
Another 50,000 were reportedly trying to force their way inside.
The crowd rush triggered the stampede, authorities have said.
The families of those killed have been awarded financial compensation, by the state and the RCB team, while those who were injured have been told medical expenses will be covered.
