A growing wave of support has emerged for former Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, who, along with four other officers, was suspended in the aftermath of the tragic stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives. In two strongly worded open letters released on Monday, former senior IPS officers, ex-CBI directors, NSG commanders, and civil service veterans challenged the Karnataka government’s decision to suspend police personnel before the conclusion of the judicial inquiry.
Warnings Were Issued, Say Retired Officials
In a letter dated June 8, the Indian Police Foundation pointed to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), alleging that they proceeded with the post-victory celebrations despite clear and documented objections from the police. The officers had warned that the city was ill-equipped to manage such a massive gathering just hours after the team’s arrival from Ahmedabad.
“The police had conveyed both in writing and verbally the dangers of going ahead with the event,” the letter noted.
The Foundation criticised the hasty decision to host the victory parade, citing inadequate crowd control measures and accusing organisers of disregarding warnings related to venue capacity and fan management.
Suspension Without Inquiry: Allegations of Scapegoating
In a separate letter dated June 3, the Foundation warned that suspending officers before the judicial inquiry concludes amounts to scapegoating, undermines public trust, and demoralises the police force.
“To single out the police for punitive action, while other stakeholders remain untouched, distorts the shared responsibility involved in such events,” the letter stated.
The letter further argued that the police were not given formal written instructions to proceed with the celebrations, and any disciplinary action should await the outcome of the inquiry, expected within a month.
Call for Reinstatement and Systemic Improvements
Calling the suspensions “premature and unjust,” the Indian Police Foundation urged the state government to reinstate all five officers, including Dayananda, until the inquiry concludes. The group also offered to assist in conducting a non-punitive post-incident review, aimed at strengthening crowd management protocols and emergency preparedness rather than assigning blame.
“Any disciplinary action, if necessary, should be based on the inquiry’s findings—not precede them,” the letter concluded.
