Karnataka clears B Dayananda, two other IPS officers of stadium stampede charges

The Karnataka government on Tuesday officially closed a departmental inquiry and exonerated three senior IPS officers, including former Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, of all charges related to security lapses during a fatal stampede at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The tragic incident, which occurred on June 4, 2025, resulted in 11 deaths and left more than 50 people injured.

In three separate government orders issued on Tuesday, the state government dropped the inquiry against B Dayananda, who was then the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), former Additional Commissioner of Police (West) Vikash Kumar Vikash, and former Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) Shekhar H Tekkannavar. The decision clears the high-ranking officers of official accountability for the safety failures during the June 2025 incident.

Following the stampede at the stadium, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had suspended the three senior police officers. The suspension also affected the Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Cubbon Park Sub-Division and the Cubbon Park police inspector, as the government held them responsible for the alleged lapses that led to the tragedy.

According to the official orders, the three IPS officers had denied all the allegations of security lapses and formally sought exoneration from the charges. The competent authority decided to drop the departmental inquiry after thoroughly examining their statements of defence and considering the formal opinion of the Administrative Department.

With the issuance of these three separate orders, the state government confirmed that the officers have been completely exonerated of all charges levelled against them. This decision brings an end to the departmental proceedings that sought to establish accountability for the fatal crowd crush at the Bengaluru stadium.