Govt. revokes suspension of four of five police officers suspended over stampede

The State government on Monday revoked the suspension of four of the five police officials, including former city police commissioner Additional Director General of Police B. Dayananda, that it suspended over the stampede at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium that killed 11 persons on June 4. 

This comes days after retired judge John Michael D’Cunha Commission report recommended “appropriate legal action” against the five officials.

The order revokes the suspension of Mr. Dayananda, former Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central), Shekar H.T., former Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cubbon Park Subdivision), C. Balakrishna and Inspector (Cubbon Park) A.K. Girish.

The suspension of Vikash Kumar Vikash, former Additional Commissioner of Police (West), Bengaluru, who approached Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and got relief, is yet to be revoked as the State government has challenged the order in High Court and is still pending.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had on June 5 announced the suspension of these five police officials at a press conference, holding them responsible for lapses that led to stampede. The Chief Minister had later too on multiple occasions defended the government’s action against the officers, including that of the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, whose suspension was unprecedented. 

On July 10, the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission report also held these five officers responsible for the stampede and recommended “appropriate legal action” against the five suspended officers. The Commission found that the police “failed to stop the event knowing fully well that the event was unauthorised and that the event was organised in haste without proper security arrangements” and that “the security provided by the police was inadequate and ineffective to meet the exigency”. 

While it was said that the State government would file an FIR against the five officers, the Cabinet on July 24 decided to initiate a Departmental Enquiry (DE) against the officers and not file an FIR. Days after that, the State government has also revoked their suspension. 

In the order revoking their suspension on Monday issued by Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), the government said the suspension was being revoked as both the judicial commission and magisterial committee have completed their enquiry into the stampede incident and submitted their reports to the government, and the officers had also  submitted representations requesting to revoke their suspension.