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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Smriti Mandhana named BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year for 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Star batter Smriti Mandhana, who played a pivotal role in India's historic 2025 Women's World Cup triumph, was named the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year for 2025 at a glittering function here on Monday.
Chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh won the Emerging Player of the Year award, for her historic FIDE Women's World Cup triumph at just 20.
Preethi Pal was named the Para-Sportswoman of the Year, for winning two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in track and field, while Anjali Bhagwat was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising her pioneering career as India's first woman shooter to reach an Olympic final and her trailblazing success on the world stage.
Mandhana, who is currently touring Australia with the Indian team for multi-format bilateral assignments, said in a video message: "Thank you BBC for giving me the awardfor Best Sportswoman of the Year. 2025 was a special year for women's cricket, especiallytowards the end we had a World Cup and I'm happy I could contribute and help India win matches.".
At 29, the left-handed batter is already among the game's greats, with the second-highest number of centuries in women's One Day Internationals and ranking third in total runsscored among current players worldwide.
Hailing from Sangli city in Maharashtra, the affable Mandhana was inspired by her father and brother, both of whom played cricket at the district level.
In September last year, she made a 50-ball hundred against Australia – the fastest 50 over international ton (men and women) by an Indian in the format, breaking Virat Kohli's record.
The award winners were decided by a distinguished grand jury comprising Leander Paes, Deepa Malik, and Anju Bobby George.
Praising the athletes' achievements CEO of BBC News, Jonathan Munro said: "Congratulations to this year's winners who showcase the very best in sporting excellence. The BBC World Service is committed to bringing such stories of human endeavour and outstanding success to audiences across India and around the world.".
Additionally, the ceremony also celebrated a wide spectrum of talent and impact, recognizing star performers and changemakers for redefining the landscape of Indian sport.
BBC Star Performers of the Year 202.
• Indian Women's Cricket Team: for their historic World Cup victory.
• Ekta Bhyan, Deepthi Jeevanji and Preethi Pal: for their trailblazing performances at the World Para Athletics Championship.
• Indian Women's Cricket Team for the Blind: for their inspiring World Cup victory.
• Indian Women's Kabaddi Team: for their smashing victory in World Cup.
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BBC Changemakers of the Year 202.
• Indian Women's Ice Hockey Team: for breaking barriers in a non-traditional sport.
• Rajbir Kaur: Indian field hockey player and former captain of the women’s national team.
• Savita Punia: Indian field hockey player and current member of the national team.
• Paani Devi: recognised for her impactful contribution to grassroots sport.
