"Did Not Organise It, Karnataka Cricket Body Invited Me": Siddaramaiah On RCB Event

Bengaluru: Facing severe criticism for the stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium, in which 11 peopled and several were injured, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Sunday clarified that he was present at the event only because he was invited and was told that the Governor would also attend.

"The secretary and treasurer of KSCA (Karnataka State Cricket Association) came and invited me to the event. We didn't organise the function, the KSCA did," Siddaramaiah told media here. 

"They also informed me that the Governor is also coming, I only went there. I don't know anything apart from that I only went there after I was invited, they didn't invite me to the stadium," the Chief Minister added.

The Chief Minister and the other leaders were present outside the Vidhan Soudha near the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the day's victory march of fans ended and there, they had met the cricketers.  

But the VIP presence had divided the police strength. The state's Opposition BJP  had pointed to this as one of the key causes of the stampede that occurred shortly after at the stadium.

The state has accused the police for not making adequate preparations to handle the event. Three top officers of the force, including the Bengaluru Police Commissioner, have been accused of "dereliction of duty" and suspended.

 
Eleven people died and 47 were injured during the  stampede during the felicitation of the  RCB players after they won their maiden IPL title this year. The fans who had waited for the IPL trophy for last 18 years had gathered at the Chinnaswamy stadium.