Bengaluru stampede: Netizens slam suspension of Commissioner Dayananda
Bengaluru: The state government’s decision to suspend Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda following the stampede at M Chinnaswamy Stadium has drawn widespread anger on social media. Netizens criticised the move as unjust and politically motivated, sparking debates over accountability and fairness.
Many termed Dayananda “honest” and “among the finest officers,” alleging he was being made a scapegoat for the administration’s poor planning. Several users called for resistance from the police force, expressing solidarity with Dayananda and other officers suspended in the aftermath of the incident.
“Siddaramaiah’s new rulebook: suspend the honest, shield the guilty! We stand in complete solidarity with you, B Dayananda Gowda sir,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter). Another post described the move as setting “a dangerous precedent” and sending a “chilling message” to officers who uphold the law.
Social media user Nadeem Pasha called the suspension “unacceptable,” stating it exposed how political leaders abandon honest officers to protect their own interests. Activist Tushar Chandra urged the police to go on strike, arguing that people should take to the streets and demand responsible governance.
Others, like Sourabh Mathur, questioned why only the police were being punished. “Suspending the top cop is convenient, but what about those in political power who sanctioned and supervised the event? Accountability must begin at the top,” he wrote.
Adding to the criticism, former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao condemned the suspension in harsh terms, accusing the Chief Minister of caving in under pressure. “This is the darkest day in Karnataka police history. B Dayananda and his team worked tirelessly for Bengaluru’s safety. Everyone knows the Deputy CM’s role in this disaster, yet he is being shielded. The government has blood on its hands and has lost its mind,” Rao wrote on X.
The suspension has intensified scrutiny of the government's handling of the tragic incident, with many calling for a deeper probe into the political decisions that led to the chaos.
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Conspiracy afoot to 'tarnish' image of Dharmasthala: Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Aug 14 (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said there was a “conspiracy” to tarnish the image of Dharmasthala.
His comments come amid an ongoing investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into serious allegations of mass burials in the revered temple town in Dakshina Kannada district.
“A conspiracy is being hatched to destroy hundreds of years of legacy. It is not correct to tarnish someone just like that. It has all happened due to one complainant,” he said.
Noting that some Congress MLAs have called for action against those involved in the slander campaign at the legislature party meeting, he said, “ I have told them that action must be taken against those who are indulging in a slander campaign. The CM has also said that action must be taken against such people.”
“I have information on this case. Religious feelings should not be hurt in any manner. Culprits must be punished,” he told reporters, according to a release from his office.
Responding to a question, Shivakumar said the Congress party will not allow the image of any religious place to be tarnished.
“We see everyone equally when it comes to religion,” he added.
The SIT, formed by the state government, is probing claims of mass murder, rape, and mass burials in Dharmasthala over the past two decades.
The complainant, a former sanitation worker whose identity has not been revealed, alleged that between 1995 and 2014 he was forced to handle bodies—including women and minors—and that some showed signs of sexual assault. He has given a statement before a magistrate.
As part of the probe, the SIT has been conducting exhumations at multiple locations identified by the complainant-witness in the forested areas along the banks of the Netravathi River in Dharmasthala, where some skeletal remains have been found at two sites so far.
