Bengaluru: Four police officers reinstated after suspension over Chinnaswamy stampede incident

In a major development following the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede incident, the Karnataka State Government has revoked the suspension orders of four out of five police officers who were earlier held responsible for lapses in crowd management. The officers were initially suspended due to negligence and dereliction of duty, which led to the tragic stampede near the stadium.

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The reinstated officers include IPS officers B. Dayananda (former Bengaluru Police Commissioner), Shekhar H. Tekannavar, DySP C. Balakrishna, and Inspector Girish. The Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) issued the reinstatement order, with K.V. Ashok, the Under Secretary, formalizing the government directive.

These officers had earlier submitted individual appeals requesting the revocation of their suspensions. The decision follows the findings of two official probes, a Magisterial Inquiry and a One-Man Commission led by retired Justice Michael D. Cunha, which submitted its report to the state government.

However, the suspension of IGP Vikas Kumar Vikas remains in effect. He had approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which ruled in his favor. The State Government challenged CAT’s order in the Karnataka High Court, where the case is still pending. This legal dispute is believed to be the reason for his exclusion from the reinstatement order.

With this move, IPS officer B. Dayananda is now likely to resume his ascent in service, as the government’s decision clears the way for his continued career progression.