The Karnataka government on Thursday justified the suspension of IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash before the High Court, arguing that the police officer and his colleagues acted as though they were "servants of RCB" during preparations for the IPL victory celebration, leading to a stampede that claimed 11 lives and injured 33 others.
Senior Counsel P S Rajagopal, appearing for the state, told the court that even before the final IPL match was played, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had submitted a proposal to police officials regarding their victory celebrations. Instead of seeking authorisation for such a large public gathering, the officers began making security arrangements without consulting their superiors or confirming the necessary permissions.
"The most obvious response from the IPS officer should have been: You haven't taken permission," Rajagopal said. "Then, RCB would have had to approach the High Court, and the law would have taken its own course." He asserted that this failure to act responsibly led to operational lapses and a serious dereliction of duty.
Arguing that making arrangements for a massive crowd in under 12 hours was impractical, Rajagopal questioned what proactive steps the suspended officer had taken during that time. He cited Section 35 of the Karnataka State Police Act, which empowers police to take necessary action, and criticised the officers for not utilising that authority.
He added that no senior-level consultation had taken place, and that the officers were merely placed under interim suspension to prevent further damage. -- PTI
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