Bengaluru Stampede: CM Siddaramaiah increases ex gratia to Rs 25 lakh from Rs 10 lakh for families of victims
PTI
Synopsis
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah declared increased compensation. The ex gratia for victim families rose from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. This decision follows widespread public anger over the tragedy. Authorities arrested and suspended several people. The government's action aims to address the concerns of the affected families. The incident caused significant national attention.
By ET Online
Last Updated:
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday announced an increase in compensation for the families of those who lost their lives. The ex gratia amount has been raised from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh per family.
The Karnataka Police registered a case on Thursday, naming office bearers of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), senior executives of RCB, and DNA Entertainment Networks — the event management partner — on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and under other provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
However, on Friday, the Karnataka High Court granted interim protection from arrest to the KSCA office bearers — president Raghuram Bhat, secretary A. Shankar, and treasurer E.S. Jairam. Justice S.R. Krishna Kumar, hearing their plea, directed the state government and police not to take any coercive action against them until the next hearing. The court also instructed the office bearers to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation.
In their petition, the KSCA management sought quashing of the FIR, arguing that they had no direct role in organizing the RCB event. They stated that KSCA is a regulatory body affiliated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and is merely the custodian of the stadium, which was provided to RCB and their vendor, DNA Entertainment, for the celebration.
“The KSCA’s involvement was limited to providing access to the venue and infrastructure,” their counsel argued. They further claimed the FIR was registered “under intense pressure” and “without a preliminary enquiry.”
The government, meanwhile, has suspended several officials from the Bengaluru city police and civic administration for alleged lapses in planning and oversight. A high-level inquiry has been ordered, and multiple event organizers have been detained for questioning.
The tragedy has sparked widespread public anger and calls for accountability, with opposition leaders demanding that all responsible parties — including those from the private sector — face legal consequences.
The next hearing in the case is expected next week.
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The stampede occurred on Wednesday evening outside the stadium gates during a public celebration organized by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to mark their qualification for the IPL playoffs. Thousands of fans had gathered, and as crowd control measures reportedly failed, panic spread, leading to a deadly rush. Along with the fatalities, dozens more sustained injuries, some of them critical.The Karnataka Police registered a case on Thursday, naming office bearers of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), senior executives of RCB, and DNA Entertainment Networks — the event management partner — on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and under other provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
However, on Friday, the Karnataka High Court granted interim protection from arrest to the KSCA office bearers — president Raghuram Bhat, secretary A. Shankar, and treasurer E.S. Jairam. Justice S.R. Krishna Kumar, hearing their plea, directed the state government and police not to take any coercive action against them until the next hearing. The court also instructed the office bearers to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation.
In their petition, the KSCA management sought quashing of the FIR, arguing that they had no direct role in organizing the RCB event. They stated that KSCA is a regulatory body affiliated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and is merely the custodian of the stadium, which was provided to RCB and their vendor, DNA Entertainment, for the celebration.
“The KSCA’s involvement was limited to providing access to the venue and infrastructure,” their counsel argued. They further claimed the FIR was registered “under intense pressure” and “without a preliminary enquiry.”
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The government, meanwhile, has suspended several officials from the Bengaluru city police and civic administration for alleged lapses in planning and oversight. A high-level inquiry has been ordered, and multiple event organizers have been detained for questioning.
The tragedy has sparked widespread public anger and calls for accountability, with opposition leaders demanding that all responsible parties — including those from the private sector — face legal consequences.
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The next hearing in the case is expected next week.
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