Karnataka HC directs state govt to file status report over stampede
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the state government to file a status report on the stampede outside the cricket stadium here that led to 11 deaths and injuries to over 50 people.
The court, after taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, issued notice to the state, and tasked it to file a detailed status report by June 10.
A division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice V Kameshwar Rao and Justice C M Joshi directed the court registry to treat the matter as a suo motu public interest litigation petition.
In the stampede during the IPL victory celebration of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on June 4, 11 people died and 56 others were injured.
When the matter came up before the division bench, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty said the announcement of free entry into the stadium led to a massive rush at the gates, triggering stampede.
He made it clear that the government does not intend approaching the matter in an adversarial way. "This is not about blame games. The aim is to understand what went wrong and ensure such tragedies don't recur," he said.
Referring to the deployment of police and security personnel during the city-wide celebrations following RCB's IPL title win, the AG said that the situation, however, turned chaotic outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where more than 2.5 lakh people had gathered, far exceeding the venue's capacity of 30,000. "Each person thought just one more was entering the stadium, without realising the overwhelming size of the crowd," he explained.
The bench observed that large public events must be guided by clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). "Ambulances must be available at the venue, and there should be clarity about the nearest hospitals," the Acting Chief Justice noted. Responding to this, the AG said that ambulances were indeed present, but admitted they were not adequate for an emergency of this scale. "The issue was not their absence, but the number," he added.
The AG informed the court that a magisterial inquiry had already commenced and it would be completed within 15 days. All the 11 deaths and the injuries to 56 people occurred at three specific gates out of a total of 21.
The state is treating the matter with utmost seriousness and notices have been served to all relevant parties, including the event management agency. "We are examining potential lapses. No one is being let off," he told the court. Shetty noted that the Chief Minister's first public statement was regarding compensation for victims' families. "This tragedy calls for reviewing SOPs. We are open to suggestions from the public and the court to avoid such events in future," he said.
A public notice has been issued by the inquiry officer, inviting anyone with relevant information or evidence. "Testimonies will be video recorded and submitted to the court. There is full transparency, nothing is being concealed," he assured.
Advocate Lohith, who filed a PIL plea, told the court that the people wanted answers on four specific points. Who authorised the felicitation event? Was it the Karnataka government or the state cricket association? What responsibility does the government have in honouring players who have not represented the state or country? Also, why was the event 'split' between Vidhana Soudha and Chinnaswamy Stadium? and what crowd control and safety arrangements were made?
Advocate G R Mohan, also representing the PIL petitioner, pointed out that the free entry announcement was made by a representative of the IPL franchise. Despite the massive turnout, only three gates were kept open, which led to bottlenecks and chaos.
Senior Advocate Aruna Shyam urged the court to consider appointing an independent agency to ensure impartial inquiry.
At the end of the hearing, the bench said it would specify in its order the details required in the status report and posted the matter for further hearing on June 10.
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3 Indians arrested in Canada for shooting outside home
Ottawa (PTI): Three Indian nationals have been arrested by Canadian police on an anti-extortion patrol and charged after bullets were fired at a home.
Harjot Singh (21), Taranveer Singh (19) and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) face one count each of discharging a firearm, and all have been remanded in custody until Thursday, the Surrey Police Service (SPS) said in a statement on Monday.
The suspects were arrested by patrol officers after an early morning report of shots fired and a small fire outside a home in Surrey's Crescent Beach neighbourhood, the LakelandToday reported.
On February 1, 2026, the SPS members were patrolling in Surrey’s Crescent Beach neighbourhood when reports came in of shots being fired and a small fire outside a residence near Crescent Road and 132 Street.
The three accused were arrested by SPS officers a short time later, the statement said.
SPS’s Major Crime Section took over the investigation, and the three men have now been charged with Criminal Code offences, it said.
All three have been charged with one count each of discharging a firearm into a place contrary to section 244.2(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming. All three have been remanded in custody until February 5, 2026.
The SPS has confirmed they are all foreign nationals and has engaged the Canada Border Services Agency, it said.
One of the suspects suffered injuries, including two black eyes, the media report said.
Surrey police Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said on Monday that the suspect had refused to comply with instructions to get out of the ride-share vehicle and started to "actively resist."
"As we were trained, he was taken to the ground and safely handcuffed," said Houghton.
A second suspect with a black eye was also injured in the arrest after refusing to comply, Houghton said.
The arresting officers were part of Project Assurance, an initiative that patrols neighbourhoods that have been targeted by extortion violence.
Houghton said the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is also involved because the men are foreign nationals, and the trio may face additional charges.
It's not clear if the men are in the country on tourist visas, a study permit, or a work permit, but Houghton said CBSA has started its own investigation into the men's status.
Surrey has seen a number of shootings at homes and businesses over the last several months, but there's been an escalation since the new year.
