Bengaluru's iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium has been labelled “unsuitable and unsafe for mass gathering” by a commission led by Justice John Michael D'Cunha. The panel was appointed by the Karnataka Government after a deadly stampede occurred during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebration earlier this year, which left 11 people dead and many injured.

According to the report submitted to the state cabinet, the stadium's design and structure are not fit to handle large crowds safely. “The design and structure of the stadium was unsuitable and unsafe for mass gathering,” the commission stated in its official report, as quoted by news agency PTI.

The commission warned that continuing to host such large-scale events at the stadium could bring “unacceptable risks to public safety”.

Chinnaswamy Stadium is scheduled to host two major fixtures of the upcoming ICC Women's World Cup, the opening match and the final. However, the panel’s findings and the Karnataka government’s acceptance of them could impact these plans, though no official announcement on the venue change has been made yet.

In its report, the commission urged stadium authorities to shift events that are likely to draw massive crowds to venues that are better equipped to handle such gatherings.

"Given these systemic limitations, the commission strongly recommends that stadium authorities consider relocating events that are expected to attract large crowds to venues that are better suited for such large gatherings," the report noted.

To improve safety and prevent similar incidents in the future, the panel suggested key measures such as:

  • An adequate number of entry and exit gates for smooth crowd movement

  • Emergency evacuation plans that meet international safety standards

The commission has also called for legal proceedings against several people connected to the event. This includes KSCA chief Raghuram Bhat, former secretary A Shankar, and ex-treasurer ES Jairam, who had resigned after the incident, citing moral responsibility.

The report also recommends action against RCB vice-president Rajesh Menon and DNA Entertainment Networks officials, MD T Venkat Vardhan and VP Sunil Mathur.

Additionally, the panel held multiple police officers accountable for the mismanagement, including B Dayananda, Vikash Kumar, Shekhar HT, C Balakrishna, and AK Girish,  all of whom were later removed from their positions by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah following the stampede.

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