Karnataka High Court Registers Suo Motu Case Over Chinnaswamy Stadium Stampede

 

Karnataka High Court Registers Suo Motu Case Over Chinnaswamy Stadium Stampede That Claimed 11 Lives

Court Seeks Status Report from State Government; Hearing Set for June 10

In a major development following the tragic stampede outside Bengaluru's iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday registered a suo motu case over the incident that led to the deaths of 11 people and left 56 others injured.

A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice V Kameswar Rao and Justice CM Joshi took note of the tragedy and directed the State to submit a status report. The matter will next be heard on June 10, Tuesday.

What Triggered the Stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium?

The stampede occurred on Wednesday, a day after the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won their first Indian Premier League (IPL) title in 18 years. Massive crowds gathered outside the stadium to celebrate the team’s victory and to catch a glimpse of the players.

Initially, entry to the stadium was ticketed. However, a last-minute announcement reportedly declared that entry would be free, leading to chaos and a deadly rush at the gates.

State Orders Magisterial Inquiry; High Court Demands Transparency

Reacting swiftly, the Karnataka government ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. However, questions over the adequacy of the State’s response led to the filing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), demanding an independent judicial inquiry supervised by a sitting judge of the High Court.

The PIL was filed by advocate Lohith G Hanumapura, represented by advocate Lohitaswa Banakar. It urged the Court to step in given the possibility of systemic administrative failures.

Union Minister and BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje also wrote to the High Court, asking it to take suo motu cognizance of the tragedy.

Court Questions Planning and Safety Protocols

During the hearing, several senior advocates expressed concern over the lack of crowd control, medical preparedness, and event planning. Senior Advocate Aruna Shyam questioned the State's decision to deploy the same officer who was in charge of managing the crowd to now conduct the inquiry.

Another advocate raised serious concerns about the event’s organization, asking:

"Was this event organized by the State or the Karnataka State Cricket Association? What were the safety measures in place? Why were celebrations held at two locations — Vidhan Soudha and Chinnaswamy Stadium?"

AG Assures Transparency, Says No Adversarial Approach

Karnataka Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty assured the Court that the government is not taking an adversarial stance. He said that the magisterial inquiry would conclude in 15 days and be based on public participation and transparency.

“We will video record everything for Your Lordships' consideration. There is no question of hiding anything,” he said.

He also informed the Court that ambulances were deployed, but the crowd size had unexpectedly crossed 2.5 lakh, overwhelming the planned infrastructure which was meant for a 30,000-capacity venue.

High Court Emphasizes Need for SOP to Prevent Future Disasters

The Bench stressed the importance of a Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) for handling large public gatherings to prevent such tragedies. It emphasized the need for clearly designated emergency exits, medical aid availability, and public information systems at event venues.

Next Steps

The Court has posted the matter for further hearing on June 10, directing the State to submit a detailed report. The suo motu case marks a critical legal intervention in ensuring accountability and transparency in the wake of a preventable human tragedy.

• Title: Karnataka High Court Registers Suo Motu Case in Chinnaswamy Stadium Stampede Tragedy
• Meta Description: The Karnataka High Court has registered a suo motu case over the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede in Bengaluru that claimed 11 lives. Court demands status report from State and sets next hearing for June 10.
• Keywords: Karnataka High Court, Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede, RCB victory stampede, Bengaluru stampede news, suo motu case Karnataka HC, Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL celebration, stampede victims Bengaluru, June 10 hearing Karnataka HC, RCB fans stampede news, stadium crowd control failure.