Newly appointed Bengaluru City Police Commissioner visiting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
Seemanth Kumar Singh appointed Bengaluru Police Commissioner after stampede tragedy
In a major shake-up following the tragic stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium, senior IPS officer Seemanth Kumar Singh has been appointed as the new Commissioner of Police for Bengaluru. He replaces B Dayananda, who was suspended after the incident that left 11 people dead and over 70 injured during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations on June 4.
A 1996-batch IPS officer, Singh previously served as Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) in charge of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force. His transfer was announced in a government notification issued late Thursday night, with immediate effect. Singh will now serve as both ADGP and Commissioner of Police for Bengaluru City until further orders.
Tragedy sparks government action
The leadership change follows widespread public outrage and mounting political pressure over what many have described as a gross failure in crowd management during the June 4 event. Thousands of fans had gathered around the stadium to catch a glimpse of the RCB team, but with limited access points and inadequate security measures, the gathering quickly turned chaotic.
In response to the tragedy, the Karnataka government suspended several senior police officers for alleged dereliction of duty. Those suspended alongside Dayananda include Cubbon Park Circle Inspector A K Girish, Assistant Commissioner of Police C Balakrishna, Central Division Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shekhar H Tekkannavar, and Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vikash Kumar Vikash, who was responsible for overseeing security arrangements at the stadium.
Singh’s immediate priorities
Taking charge in the aftermath of the incident, Commissioner Singh has vowed to restore public confidence and prioritize safety measures for large gatherings. In his first set of actions, Singh carried out a reshuffle in key positions, replacing officers in critical zones around the stadium with immediate effect.
He has also directed a full review of standard operating procedures related to crowd control, traffic planning, and emergency response in Bengaluru.
Organisers also under fire
Beyond the police, the government has also initiated legal action against the organisers of the event. Executives from Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and DNA Entertainment Networks — the firm managing the celebration — have been named in First Information Reports (FIRs) for negligence contributing to the stampede.
Notably, the first arrest in the case was made just days after the incident, with the police taking into custody Nikhil Sosale, marketing head for RCB, on charges related to poor event planning and breach of safety protocols. The two others who were arrested by the police are identified as Sunil Mathew, Sumanth and Kiran Kumar of DNA Entertainment Private Limited. The arrested are sent to 14-day judicial custody.
The state government also relieved Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’ political secretary, K Govindaraju, from his post. Further, Hemant M Nimbalkar, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) of state intelligence, has been replaced by S Ravi.
Mixed public response
While many have welcomed the government’s tough stance, some civil society members and residents have voiced concern that senior officers may be scapegoated for broader systemic failures in managing mass public events. Former Commissioner Dayananda, in particular, has drawn support from a section of the public who argue that accountability should be shared across departments and event organisers.
Looking ahead
Commissioner Singh now faces the twin challenges of leading an embattled police force through a credibility crisis and ensuring such lapses are never repeated. The government has pledged transparency in the ongoing inquiry and promised stringent action against all those found responsible — be it in uniform or otherwise.
As the city reels from the tragedy, Singh’s appointment marks the beginning of a critical phase in restoring order, enforcing accountability, and re-establishing public faith in Bengaluru’s policing system.