After Bengaluru stampede, Karnataka govt to formulate new SOP for mega events, celebrations

Bengaluru: Karnataka government will formulate a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for mega events, meetings and celebrations aimed at preventing any untoward incidents, state Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Thursday.

The initiative comes in the wake of stampede near the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday that claimed 11 lives.

Speaking to reporters, Parameshwara said that the government will take strict measures identifying the lapses that led to the stampede near the stadium, where a large number of people had thronged to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations.

Eleven people have died and 56 have been injured in the incident, he said, among the injured, 46 have gone back home after the treatment, while 10 are at hospital and their condition is not serious according to doctors.

"Aimed at preventing such incidents, the government, the home department will formulate a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). We will give instructions that from now on any mega events, meetings and celebrations, should be held within the framework of the directions issued by the police department," Parameshwara said.

A new SOP will be formulated to ensure that such incidents never happen in the future, he added.

"Such deaths shouldn't happen, innocents should not die, looking at the dead bodies it pains anyone....many of them were youngsters in 20-25 years of age. They came happily to celebrate, they wouldn't have expected to lose their lives. We will take strict measures identifying the lapses," he added.

Parameshwara said, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had held a meeting yesterday and has ordered for a megestrial inquiry into the incident under the leadership of Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner.

"If any lapses are found, strict action will be taken against whoever is responsible," he said, adding that he didn't want to go into details, because an inquiry has been ordered.