Notably, Vikash Kumar Vikash, IPS, who served as Additional Commissioner of Police (West), Bengaluru, has not been reinstated. GoK has challenged the CAT order quashing his suspension in the Karnataka High Court.
Published Jul 28, 2025 | 6:48 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 28, 2025 | 6:48 PM
B Dayananda.
Synopsis: The Karnataka government has reinstated four of the five police officers suspended over the 4 June stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which left 11 dead and over 50 injured. In a government order issued on Monday, the officers were restored to duty pending departmental enquiries. The fifth officer, IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash’s reinstatement is still pending over a CAT order quashing his suspension which in turn was challenged by GoK.
The Karnataka government has revoked the suspension of four out of five police officers it had earlier directly held responsible for the 4 June stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which left 11 people dead and over 50 injured.
In a government order (No. DPAR 131 SPS 2025) issued on Monday, 28 July, by KV Ashoka, Under Secretary to Government, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, the state reinstated two IPS officers and two Karnataka State Police Service officers to duty, pending disciplinary proceedings against all four.
The officers reinstated are:
The reinstated officers will remain in service while departmental enquiries are conducted under Rule 8 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules and other applicable provisions.
Notably, Vikash Kumar Vikash, IPS, who served as Additional Commissioner of Police (West), Bengaluru, has not been reinstated.
The Karnataka High Court is currently hearing the state’s appeal against a Central Administrative Tribunal decision that had quashed his suspension. The next hearing is scheduled for Friday.
The reinstatement follows days after the Karnataka government, on 25 July, defended its decision to suspend the five officers, telling the High Court that the action was not merely because they were “not being the best at [their] duty”, but for failing to implement standard procedures despite receiving 24 hours’ notice.
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, the officers were suspended under Rule 3(1)(a) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, and Rule 5 of the Karnataka State Police (Disciplinary Proceedings) Rules, 1965, through orders issued on 4 and 5 June.
Meanwhile, the government received enquiry reports from both the magisterial committee and the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Judicial Commission, which were constituted to investigate the stampede earlier this month – on 10 and 11 July, respectively.
The magisterial enquiry was conducted by Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate, Sri Jagadish G. Following this, four of the suspended officers submitted formal representations on 24 July seeking revocation of their suspension orders. Vikash Kumar Vikash is yet to submit his representation.
The Justice D’Cunha Commission report was sharply critical of both the event organisers and the police personnel named above, noting a “gross failure to enforce even the most basic safety protocols.”
Subsequently, the State Cabinet directed that legal proceedings be initiated against all private parties and officials found responsible in the report.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
