Bengaluru, July 4, 2025: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday questioned the state government’s decision to suspend five senior police officers, including IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, in connection with the June 4 stampede at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which killed 11 people during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations.
Calling the suspension an “extreme step”, a division bench comprising Justices S.G. Pandit and T.M. Nadaf asked the state whether a lesser penalty, such as transferring the officers to different posts, might have been more appropriate. The bench was hearing the state’s appeal against the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order of July 1, which had quashed Vikash’s suspension and directed his immediate reinstatement.
“You will have to justify whether it was proper to keep the officers under suspension, or, whether shifting them to another post would have been sufficient,” the bench told Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty, representing the state.
Background of the Case
The tragedy occurred during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first-ever IPL title celebration at the stadium on June 4, after the franchise announced free passes for fans. Overwhelmed by the crowd surge, authorities were unable to manage the gathering, resulting in a stampede that claimed 11 lives and left several injured.
A day later, the state government suspended five police officers, including then Police Commissioner B. Dayananda and Additional Commissioner (West) Vikash Kumar Vikash, drawing criticism for scapegoating the officers without clear accountability being established.
CAT’s Intervention and HC’s Response
On July 1, the CAT ruled that the suspension of Vikash was “mechanical” and lacked adequate material justification. It also observed that the police had insufficient time to prepare for the crowd, noting that RCB had allegedly announced the celebration and free passes without police clearance.
The tribunal not only ordered Vikash’s reinstatement, but also suggested the state consider similar action for the other four officers, a move the Karnataka government is now contesting in the high court.
Advocate General’s Argument
Arguing before the bench, Advocate General Shetty said the tribunal acted in haste and overstepped its jurisdiction by commenting on officers who were not party to the proceedings. He further claimed the suspended officers were guilty of dereliction of duty, stating:
“I will be able to show from the records that the suspension order was justified.”
He requested a stay on the tribunal’s order, arguing that reinstating officers during ongoing judicial and magisterial inquiries could interfere with the examination of witnesses and compromise the investigation.
Court’s Observations and Next Steps
The high court declined to stay the CAT’s order, scheduling the next hearing for July 9. However, the bench advised Vikash not to take any further steps until then, after learning that the officer had reported for duty in uniform on July 2, without a formal reinstatement order.
Vikash’s counsel, senior advocate Dhyan Chinappa, assured the court that his client would exercise restraint.
The case has reignited debate over accountability in public tragedies, with the tribunal’s findings pointing to poor coordination between event organizers (RCB) and law enforcement. The Karnataka government, meanwhile, insists that the officers’ suspensions were necessary to ensure an unbiased probe.
As inquiries continue and public pressure mounts, all eyes are on the July 9 hearing, which will likely influence the future of the five officers and potentially shape how such incidents are handled in the future.
