Bengaluru: Three days after the tragic stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives, an official letter has reportedly revealed that police had issued prior warnings about the risks.
A communication dated June 4, the day of the incident, by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Legislature Security) M.N. Karibasavana Gowda flagged serious concerns about crowd management and manpower shortages, reported India Today. According to the report, the document was addressed to G. Sathyavathi, Secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, and other top officials.
“With lakhs of cricket fans expected to gather at Vidhana Soudha and a shortage of security personnel, managing the crowd will be a major challenge,” Gowda had mentioned in the note.
Gowda noted that “the RCB cricket team has a nationwide fan following.” He had warned that hosting the event at Vidhana Soudha would draw lakhs. The cop had also stated that this would pose a “major challenge” due to a staff crunch in the Vidhana Soudha Security Division.
The officer had reportedly suggested suspending all online and offline public entry passes on June 4. It also advised against allowing government staff to bring family members to the Secretariat that day. The letter had recommended declaring an afternoon holiday to reduce footfall near the venue.
The DCP also flagged that Vidhana Soudha, being a vital installation and heritage structure, lacked adequate infrastructure for vigil.
Although CCTV coverage had been requested earlier, it remained incomplete.
Gowda had also highlighted that a stage was being erected for the event. He had insisted that it must undergo structural and electrical safety inspections.
He called for anti-sabotage checks at least two hours prior to the event. He had also stressed the need for a functional anti-drone system and emphasized the urgency of mobilizing additional police personnel from outside the city.
He pointed out that coordination with law and order as well as traffic police was essential. While reiterating that the department would act as per the government’s final decision, the DCP underlined that strict security protocols must be followed.
