Bengaluru stampede: Suspended IPS officer moves Central Administrative Tribunal; challenges Karnataka govt's order

NEW DELHI: Senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, who was among the five officers suspended by the Karnataka government in connection with the June 4 stampede outside Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium, has approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) challenging his suspension, official sources said on Monday.The stampede claimed 11 people lives, while 56 people were injured."He (Vikas) moved the tribunal last week. They are likely to hear the matter in the days ahead," sources told news agency PTI.Vikash was Bengaluru's additional commissioner of police (West).On Thursday, a day after the incident, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah suspended the five officers, including Bengaluru City police commissioner B Dayananda.Defending the action, Siddaramaiah said the following day that those who did not fulfil their responsibility properly were suspended.The suspension order said, "It is found that there has been, on the face of it, a substantial dereliction of duty by these officers."The stampede occurred in front of the Chinnaswamy Stadium, the home venue of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 winners Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), on Wednesday. A large number of RCB fans had thronged to participate in the event to celebrate RCB's title win, its first since the league began in April 2028.The ceremony was held despite police objections on multiple grounds, including lack of time to make arrangements for the function. RCB defeated Punjab Kings just the previous night to clinch the title in Ahmedabad.