Bengaluru: In Centre okays suspension of three IPS officersthe wake of the tragic stampede near Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Central Government has endorsed the Karnataka Government’s decision to suspend three senior IPS officers, including then Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda. The suspensions come amid allegations of dereliction of duty and lapses in security arrangements that led to the unfortunate incident.

On June 5, the Karnataka Government suspended B Dayananda, Additional Commissioner of Police (West) Vikas Kumar Vikas, DCP (Central Division) H Shekhar, ACP Balakrishna of Cubbon Park Subdivision, and Inspector Girish of Cubbon Park Police Station. While the state government initiated the action, final approval for the suspension of IPS officers rested with the Union Home Ministry.

The Ministry has now accepted the suspension, meaning it will remain in force.

Although the state has the authority to suspend officers under its jurisdiction, any revocation of such action involving IPS officers requires the Centre’s approval.

The ongoing magisterial probe and a judicial inquiry led by retired Justice John Michael D’Cunha will determine whether the suspensions could be lifted in the future.

The three IPS officers appeared before the inquiry commission recently. Their statements were recorded separately, and they were questioned about the security planning and police response during the stampede.

Earlier, they had also appeared before Bengaluru Urban District Commissioner G Jagadeesh for preliminary inquiry.