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‘Not sparing anyone’: What Karnataka government told high court on Bengaluru stampede
Eleven people died, and at least 33 were injured in the stampede that took place before RCB's victory celebrations.
During a suo motu hearing on the Bengaluru stampede in which 11 people died, the Karnataka government told the Karnataka high court on Thursday that 2.5 lakh people had unexpectedly congregated outside the Chinnaswamy stadium to celebrate the victory of the local team, RCB, in the Indian Premier League. The government also told the court that they had deployed over 1400 personnel, including senior officials, to maintain the law and order situation outside and inside the stadium.
Advocate general Shashi Kiran Shetty, appearing for the state, told the court that 2.5 lakh people turned up because it was published that the entry was free, reported Live Law.
He said the huge crowd accumulated because people from outside the state also turned up outside the stadium. He further said that the government has ordered a magisterial probe whose report will be furnished in 15 days.
He also said the government is not "sparing anyone" responsible for the tragedy.
On the court's query regarding the number of gates, the advocate general submitted, "Total 21, and instructions were that they were open and people were allowed inside and seated. 2 lakh people were around this place. We have started an inquiry, and notices have been given to everyone; we are not sparing anyone," he added.
He said the government will video-record the probe and place it before the court.
"Are there any vehicles which can be made available if such an incident happens, to which hospitals will the injured be taken? All this is to be included in SOP," the bench observed.
Shetty responded by saying that the government has taken the incident seriously, and it will prepare an SOP.
Eleven people died, and at least 33 were injured in the stampede that took place before RCB's victory celebrations. CM Siddaramaiah blamed overcrowding for the tragedy.
