Bengaluru stampede deaths: BJP leaders taken into custody during attempt to lay siege to CM’s residence demanding resignation

Police detain BJP workers protesting at Freedom Park demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister, Deputy CM and Home Minister for the death of 11 RCB fans in a stampede outside Chinnaswamy stadium during the RCB victory celebration, in Bengaluru on June 17, 2025. | Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K

Many BJP leaders were taken into custody by the police in Bengaluru when they tried to lay a siege to the official residence of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanding his resignation, as well as that of Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, in connection with the stampede in the city during the RCB’s victory celebrations that claimed 11 lives on June 4. 

Those arrested included BJP State unit president B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in Assembly R. Ashok, and Leader of Opposition in Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, and former Deputy Chief Minister C. N. Ashwath Narayan. 

The leaders and party workers were taken into custody when they started marching towards the Chief Minister’s official residence after holding a protest at Freedom Park.

Earlier, addressing protesters, Mr. Vijayendra and Mr. Ashok called upon party workers and leaders not to end their campaign till the Chief Minister and Deputy CM step down.

Mr. Vijayendra alleged that the Congress government had organised a felicitation programme in front of Vidhana Soudha in a hurry at the behest of the Chief Minister to encash on the RCB’s IPL victory. The Deputy CM had tried to outsmart the Chief Minister by making his presence felt at the celebrations in Chinnaswamy stadium. “The political tussle between the CM and Deputy CM resulted in organising the victory celebrations in a hurry, much against the advise of the police,” he alleged.

Mr. Ashok accused the Chief Minister of being the ‘main culprit’ of the stampede. “Mr. Siddaramaiah is trying to cover up his lapses by falsely claiming that the felicitation programme had not been organised by the government, and that he was not aware who had invited Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to the programme. But, it has turned out that the DPAR and the Chief Secretary had provided all the necessary clearances for the programme, and the Chief Minister himself had invited the Governor,” he said. 

“Those who took selfies were the kin of the CM and other politicians, but those who suspended were police officers,” he said. “We have seen governments falling in Karnataka earlier following the curse of farmers. This government will fall due to the curse of parents of youngsters who died in the stampede,” Mr. Ashok remarked. 

“People are saying that there was an intelligence failure. But the Chief Minister has desisted from taking any harsh action against the police intelligence chief, other than transferring him out, as he knows that any stern action against him would have cost him his (CM) chair,” Mr. Narayanaswamy alleged, hinting that the then intelligence chief’s wife is a Congress leader. 

Published - June 17, 2025 03:36 pm IST