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KSCA secretary A Shankar and treasurer E Jairam have resigned, taking ‘moral responsibility’ for the Bengaluru stampede that killed 11 and injured several.
The secretary and treasuer of the KSCA have tendered their resignation (PTI Photo)
Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) secretary A Shankar and treasurer E Jairam tendered their resignations with immediate effect on Friday (June 6) night in the wake of the Bengaluru stampede that took 11 lives and left several others injured. It happened during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)’s victory celebrations at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to celebrate their maiden IPL title.
In a joint press release on Saturday, they said they were ‘owning moral responsibility’ for the tragedy, though their ‘role was very limited’. Several political leaders and police personnel have already been suspended after the disaster. An FIR has already been filed at the Cubbon Park Police Station, naming RCB, KSCA president Raghuram Bhat and event management company DNA Entertainment.
“This is to inform that due to the unforeseen and unfortunate events that have unfolded in the last two days and though our role was very limited, but owing moral responsibility, we wish to state that last night we have tendered our resignation to our respective posts as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, by way of a letter dated 06.06.2025 to the President of Karnataka State Cricket Association,” they wrote in the press release.
Their resignation comes hours after a PTI report revealed that the KSCA had sought permission for RCB’s IPL trophy celebrations at Vidhan Soudha. It reaffirmed KSCA’s claim that it facilitated approvals for the franchise, which is currently under heavy scrutiny. The KSCA stated that the concerned company would ‘make necessary arrangements’ for the event.
Following the FIR on Bhat, Shankar, and Jayaram are said to have submitted to the Karnataka High Court that gate and crowd management were not the association’s responsibilities.
Although the felicitation at the Vidhan Soudha went smoothly, chaos erupted outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where thousands gathered after RCB’s social media invitation — offering free entry on a first-come-first-served basis — which was eventually removed. A planned victory parade had to be canceled, but the event inside the stadium continued despite the turmoil outside, drawing further criticism.
The High Court has restrained the police from taking any coercive action against the KSCA officials until the next hearing. The petition to quash the FIR will be taken up again on June 16.
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