Mohandas Pai criticises arrests and FIR in RCB celebration stampede case

Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Aarin Capital and former Infosys CFO, has sharply criticised the response to the stampede incident that occurred outside Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) victory celebration. The tragedy claimed 11 lives and left over 50 injured as thousands gathered to mark the team's maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title win.

Also read: Karnataka HC bars coercive action against KSCA in interim order over stadium stampede FIR 

Following the incident, the Karnataka government suspended Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and arrested four individuals, including RCB’s marketing manager. However, Pai condemned the arrests as hasty and counterproductive, arguing that such measures have demoralised senior police officials across the state.

Expressing dismay at what he described as a “premature” First Information Report (FIR), Pai questioned the rationale behind implicating RCB officials without a detailed investigation. He suggested the FIR may have been a reactionary move that diverts attention from core administrative failures.

Pai argued that responsibility for the chaos should lie with local police authorities responsible for crowd control, not with the top police command or private event organisers unless proven otherwise. He warned that such sweeping actions risk setting a troubling precedent and shifting blame without accountability.

The stampede has triggered public outrage and intense scrutiny of crowd management practices during large-scale events. Calls are growing for a thorough and impartial inquiry before punitive actions are undertaken.