Eleven lives were lost. Dozens injured. And amid the chaos, one man — an honest, efficient police commissioner — was made the scapegoat. The tragedy near Chinnaswamy Stadium during the RCB victory celebrations was not a mere lapse in crowd control. It was the direct result of mismanagement and political propaganda engineered by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, whose obsession with publicity cost both lives and integrity.
Commissioner B. Dayanand, a respected officer whose integrity and discipline were rarely questioned even by the harshest critics of the police force, has been unceremoniously suspended. Not a single credible journalist or watchdog has had anything negative to say about him — a rare feat in today’s polarized environment. Yet, he has been cast aside by a state government that prioritizes optics over accountability.
Propaganda over preparation
The state, instead of mourning the death of 11 Kannadigas, chose to celebrate a private cricket franchise’s victory. A franchise that still doesn’t carry the name “Bengaluru” and barely promotes Kannada talent. But for Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, this was an opportunity too ripe to miss. A chance to bask in reflected glory — never mind that the police force was already stretched thin and working sleepless nights to maintain order.
Despite warnings and logistical constraints, the government chose to expand a private celebration into a state-sponsored spectacle. Instead of allowing the Bengaluru police to manage a single, contained event at Chinnaswamy Stadium, the celebration was extended to Vidhana Soudha — the symbolic seat of Karnataka’s democracy. This decision, made in haste and without police consultation, led to chaos on the ground. The police were forced to split their already-exhausted resources between two massive locations, with no additional reinforcements called in from neighbouring districts or paramilitary forces.
Blame shifting to cover tracks
When tragedy struck, it wasn’t the politicians who took responsibility. It was Dayanand and his officers who were thrown under the bus. The same officers who were on the ground as early as Tuesday afternoon, anticipating crowd surges. The same force that stood by injured civilians, some weeping as they lifted bodies with their own hands, while the state’s highest leaders were posing for photos with trophies.
And yet, it is these officers who are now facing suspension. The crime? Doing their duty under impossible conditions orchestrated by the very leaders now pointing fingers.
In a shocking twist, the CM’s office has even reportedly issued instructions for the arrest of RCB and KSCA staff. Siddaramaiah — a seasoned politician and law graduate — must explain: which section of the Indian Constitution allows a Chief Minister to give arrest orders without due process? If RCB and KSCA broke laws, why are the police being punished while ministers who participated in and encouraged these events walk away unscathed?
Manufactured sacrifice
Sources within the administration confirm what many suspected — Dayanand never gave permission for the dual-location celebration. He couldn’t have. Such a decision had to come from the “third floor” of the Vidhana Soudha, the seat of power. The Home Minister himself had met with the police commissioner prior to the announcement — and yet, today, silence. No statement. No clarification.
Anyone who knows the workings of the police system knows that no mid-level officer — certainly not even the commissioner — would greenlight such a massive celebration without direct political orders. The idea that RCB or KSCA “went rogue” is laughable. This was a top-down mess, and the suspension of Dayanand is nothing but political theatre to appease public outrage and preempt judicial embarrassment in ongoing PILs.
Arrogance and insensitivity on full display
The CM and DCM are now on a media spree, shedding crocodile tears. But their actions speak louder. While fans collapsed in the streets, D.K. Shivakumar and his aides strolled into the stadium, kissed the trophy, and posed with players. The same man later claimed it was “too difficult” to take players to the stadium — but apparently not too difficult to attend the event himself.
This duplicity and callousness have become the hallmark of this administration. Their actions are not just irresponsible, they are inhumane.
What we must ask
Why were Bengaluru police not given adequate time or backup?
Who authorized a dual-location celebration with less than 24 hours’ notice?
Why were officers made to sacrifice sleep, duty, and ultimately their careers — just to fulfill the vanity of politicians?
Why wasn’t a single politician held accountable when eleven innocent lives were lost?
This government claims to stand for Kannada pride. But in their actions, they celebrated a franchise that hasn’t even added “Bengaluru” to its name. They invited disaster for political mileage. And when it all went wrong, they sacrificed one of their own — a competent Kannadiga officer — instead of accepting blame.
