BENGALURU: Suspended IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash has filed a petition with the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), contesting his suspension over alleged dereliction of duty in connection with the tragic stampede at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. He is among five officers suspended following the June 4 incident.
The suspension, issued under Rule 3(1)(a) of the All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969, accuses Vikash and others of failing to implement sufficient crowd-control and safety measures, despite being aware in advance of the scale of the victory celebrations.
However, Vikash’s petition argues that the order is vague and does not detail his specific role, actions, or any deliberate misconduct. While the suspension notice acknowledges that there was limited time to prepare for the event, it does not explain how responsibility for the tragedy was assigned to him and his fellow officers. In his plea, Vikash asserts that he is being unfairly targeted and used as a scapegoat.
Support From Retired Officers
In a related development, nearly 30 retired IPS officers have written an open letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging him to reconsider the suspension of senior police officials. The letter argues that disciplinary action should follow a judicial inquiry—not precede it.
The retired officers pointed out that the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) management had hastily announced the IPL victory celebrations on social media, which led to an overwhelming crowd descending on the stadium within hours. According to the letter, the rushed decision to hold the event stemmed from the immediate travel commitments of RCB’s players, both local and international.
The former officers also emphasized that Bengaluru Police had formally warned event organizers about the risks involved in hosting such a large-scale celebration on short notice. They described the suspensions as unjust, saying the officers were being unfairly blamed while the primary accountability lies with RCB, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and the event organisers.
