Karnataka Government Defends IPS Officer Suspension Amid IPL Tragedy

The Karnataka government has defended its decision to suspend IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, attributing responsibility to him for the chaotic proceedings during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL victory celebrations. Senior Counsel P S Rajagopal, representing the state, argued in court that the officer acted imprudently, bypassing formal permissions and consultations, which ultimately resulted in a disastrous stampede.

The High Court was informed that the proposal for celebrations was submitted by RCB before the final IPL match, yet proper authorisation was not sought. Rajagopal emphasized that this oversight led to 11 fatalities and 33 injuries amid inadequate crowd control measures.

Hearing the state's plea against the Central Administrative Tribunal's (CAT) decision to reinstate Vikash with full pay, the court engaged in discussions over the necessity of the officer's suspension. The Tribunal had earlier quashed the suspension, citing ineffective evidence of negligence due to limited reaction time provided by RCB's announcement. As the legal proceedings continue, the case highlights significant lapses in protocol and emergency preparedness.

(With inputs from agencies.)