'Suspension Hasty': Moily On Siddaramaiah’s Action Against Cops After Bengaluru Stampede | Exclusive

Last Updated:June 13, 2025, 23:42 IST

Veerappa Moily, a former Karnataka chief minister, told News18 that the police officials could have been given a lesser punishment and ‘maybe’ suspended after a preliminary inquiry

In a letter to Siddaramaiah, Moily (L) said that a lesser punishment should have been given, and the best approach would have been to transfer the officials or send them on leave. Image: X

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has, for the first time, come under criticism from within his own party over the handling of the stampede near Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, with senior Congress leader and former union minister Veerappa Moily saying that the suspension of top police officers was an “unwanted measure".

Moily, a former Karnataka chief minister, told News18, “They could have been dealt with a lesser punishment and ‘maybe’ suspended after a preliminary inquiry."

The stampede on June 4, which claimed 11 lives during Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)’s celebration of its first Indian Premier League (IPL) title in 18 years, has triggered sharp criticism over the timing and handling of the event.

In a letter to Siddaramaiah, Moily said, “A lesser punishment should have been given, and the best approach would have been to transfer the officials or send them on leave. After an inquiry, based on the facts, they could have been suspended."

In an unprecedented action, chief minister Siddaramaiah had announced the suspension of the city’s police commissioner B Dayananda, who was scheduled to be promoted as DGP in July. Along with Dayananda, the CM had also announced the suspension of the additional police commissioner (East) Vikas Kumar Vikash and deputy police commissioner Shekhar HT.

Review suspension move: Moily

Moily believes that the decision to suspend the police officials was “taken in haste" and “unfair". He elaborated that any chief minister should approach such a situation with caution, adequate supportive evidence, and due consideration of all the facts.

“As a chief minister, one should have a sober approach. There is no need to react impulsively to the circumstances. As an administrator, you must make decisions with sobriety," he told News18.

Moily, known to call a spade a spade, in his letter, which is with News18, has written that the chief minister’s disciplinary action against several officials in a short span of time seemed a “drastic and unwanted measure".

“It would be wise to review the administration’s hasty actions regarding this incident. There is a possibility that this could bring a bad name to your administration," Moily wrote.

‘Make efforts to hold all scheduled matches’

The veteran Congress leader highlighted the public response to the incident and the decisions taken by the government, emphasising that “Bengaluru’s reputation, earned over decades, should not be erased by this recent accident". He noted that the city, which has contributed many talented cricketers to the national and international arenas, has now come under criticism in the cricketing world.

Moily reiterated that rather than launching multiple inquiries, the situation demands a thorough investigation by a retired judge, with the report submitted at the earliest to restore public trust and confidence among cricket lovers. The onus, he said, is now on the government to act swiftly and create an organised, peaceful environment that reflects the true spirit of the occasion.

“It is imperative that you, as the Chief Minister, take special precautions in this regard. You have already arranged an inquiry by the Honourable District Magistrate, an investigation by a retired High Court judge, and a CID investigation into this incident," he stated in the letter.

He also placed the onus of clearing Bengaluru’s and Karnataka’s names on Siddaramaiah by conducting a proper investigation, which he believes has come under scrutiny after the stampede.

“Special care must be taken for those who died and were injured in the accident—not only by providing compensation, but also by showing empathy to the families of those who lost their lives and to the injured, and by instilling confidence in them," Moily advised.

Referring to reports that future cricket matches in Bengaluru may be shifted to other venues in light of the incident, Moily also stressed that the government must send out strong signals that “appropriate steps have been taken regarding the incident and that such incidents will not happen in the future", ensuring that cricket and other matches can be conducted in a safe and proper manner.

Moily’s reference was to the reports that the three-match one-day series between India ‘A’ and South Africa ‘A’ that was scheduled to be held in Bengaluru between November 13 and 19 has been shifted by the BCCI “without any specific reason" to Gujarat’s Rajkot.

Bring back RCB pride: Moily

Speaking about RCB’s recent IPL victory, which has filled Kannadigas with pride, he emphasised that instead of celebrating the moment, it has sadly turned into a blame game.

“This is unfortunate. The negativity surrounding the RCB team must be dispelled, and the focus should return to celebrating their achievement with pride. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure that the chaos caused by a few overzealous fans and the negligence of certain individuals does not leave a lasting stain on RCB or the cricketing world," Moily’s letter stated.

Calling on the government to act swiftly and in a just manner, the senior Congress leader said it is imperative that the Congress-led Karnataka government take immediate steps to create a well-organised and peaceful atmosphere in the state.

“I am confident that you will take swift action—both to maintain government credibility and to create a safe environment for cricket lovers," he stated.

News politics 'Suspension Hasty': Moily On Siddaramaiah’s Action Against Cops After Bengaluru Stampede | Exclusive