Bhaskar Rao Defends Suspended Cops, Blames Government Mismanagement
Former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao has come out strongly against the suspension of eight senior police officers following the tragic stampede during the RCB IPL victory celebration at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The stampede, which took place on 4 June 2025, left 11 dead and over 50 injured, triggering a wave of public outrage.
Karnataka Govt has suspended Bengaluru police commissioner over stampede in Chinnaswamy Stadium.
— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) June 6, 2025
RCB wanted big celebrations.
KSCA wanted big celebrations.
Karnataka Govt wanted big celebrations.
Bengaluru police had opposed the grand celebrations.
Bengaluru Police wanted the… pic.twitter.com/77wDCC8uSa
Calling it the “darkest day in the history of Karnataka Police”, Rao accused the Congress-led state government of acting in panic mode and shifting the blame for political mismanagement onto police personnel. He cited his own experience of ignoring over 30 calls from the CM’s office during a 2013 crisis, saying officers must be bold enough to resist political pressure when public safety is at stake.
Political Pressure Ignored Police Warnings Ahead of RCB Celebration
Bhaskar Rao revealed that the police had flagged serious concerns about the safety of holding a massive public felicitation just hours after the IPL final, but these were ignored. In a June 4 warning letter, DCP M.N. Karibasavana Gowda had alerted top officials about staff shortages, massive crowd expectations, and the inadequate infrastructure near the stadium to manage such a surge.
Despite this, the celebration was pushed through allegedly on the insistence of CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, both of whom Rao holds directly responsible for the chaos. According to Rao, “The event was held without even 24 hours’ preparation—this was a death march in the making.”
Mr Siddaramiah has gone into Panic mode. The suspension of Bengaluru City Police Commissioner is the darkest day in the History of Karnataka Police.
— Bhaskar Rao (@Nimmabhaskar22) June 5, 2025
The prize for telling the Truth and he and his Team slogged the whole night to keep Bengaluru Safe.
Everyone in Karnataka knows… pic.twitter.com/iYFsMEihGg
He further added that as Commissioner in 2013, he ignored over 30 calls from the CM’s office during a tense suicide-protest situation in Belagavi, refusing orders to bring the body to the assembly. “Had I obeyed, the city would have burned,” he said. The message: police officers must sometimes defy political orders for the greater good.
Rao Calls Suspensions a Cover-Up, Urges Judicial Review
The June 5 decision to suspend the entire operational police hierarchy—from the Cubbon Park SHO to the Police Commissioner—has sparked sharp criticism. Bhaskar Rao called the move a “panic-driven cover-up”, urging suspended officers to challenge the decision legally and protect the dignity of the uniform.
He warned that punishing police for political decisions gone wrong will not only demoralize the force but also discourage future officers from taking initiative during critical crowd-control situations. Rao believes a judicial review will expose where the real failures occurred—within the political leadership, not the police department.
Political backlash is already growing. BJP leaders have backed Rao, demanding a full inquiry. On social media, hashtags like #ScapegoatingCops and #JusticeForBengaluruPolice have gone viral. Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has set up a one-man commission, though critics doubt its neutrality.
