Bengaluru Stampede: Karnataka Tells Court 1,000 Cops Deployed, 4,000 Fewer Than Shivakumar’s Claim

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Last Updated:June 05, 2025, 15:57 IST

This comes as the Karnataka High Court took suo motu cognizance of the stampede and issued a notice to the state government seeking details and accountability.

When the crowd began pouring in, it became painfully clear that the 5,000 police personnel deployed were not enough. It was a sea of people from one corner to another. (Pic/PTI)

The Karnataka government told the High Court that more than 1,000 police personnel- including the City Police Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), and Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs)- were deployed at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4 when a deadly stampede took place that claimed 11 lives. This figure contrasts with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s earlier claim that 5,000 police officers were present to manage the crowd.

This comes as the Karnataka High Court took suo motu cognizance of the stampede and issued a notice to the state government seeking details and accountability.

During the hearing before a bench comprising Acting Chief Justice V Kameshwara Rao and Justice CM Joshi, Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty assured the court, “We are not taking an adversarial approach. Whatever direction the court gives, we are ready to act."

Appearing before a bench of Acting Chief Justice V Kameshwara Rao and Justice CM Joshi, Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty told the court, “We are not taking an adversarial approach. Whatever direction the court gives, we are ready to act."

The Karnataka High Court observed, “The intent to celebrate has led to a tragedy. We take suo motu cognisance of the incident to determine the causes, whether it could have been prevented, and the measures needed to avoid such events in the future."

What Happened At Chinnaswamy Stadium?

A massive crowd gathered to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) first Indian Premier League (IPL) title turned tragic on Wednesday evening when a stampede near M Chinnaswamy Stadium left 11 dead and over 30 injured.

Authorities said most of the victims were young men and women, including several students.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah highlighted the scale of the crowd, saying the stadium’s capacity is 35,000, but 200,000 to 300,000 people had gathered. “The match was held yesterday (Tuesday), and today (Wednesday) this event was organised by the cricket association, so no one expected such a huge turnout," he said.