Bengaluru, June 9: The Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban district, who also serves as the District Magistrate, has issued notices to 45 injured people in connection with the stampede incident that claimed 11 lives at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4. These individuals have been directed to record their statements on June 11.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who ordered a magisterial inquiry into the tragedy, has mandated that Deputy Commissioner Jagadeesha G. submit the report within 15 days.

Jagadeesha has issued a notice directing the injured persons to arrive at the magisterial court auditorium, located within the premises of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Bengaluru, between 11 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. to record their statements.

Sources state that once these statements are recorded, the Deputy Commissioner will proceed to record the statements of the family members of the deceased and eyewitnesses on June 13. A letter has also been sent to the office of the Bengaluru Police Commissioner, seeking information regarding the details of the police staff deputed at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4.

After recording statements from the police department and inquiring with the officers, the report will be submitted to the government. The Deputy Commissioner has already visited the Chinnaswamy Stadium and inspected the site. Statements from the management of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise, the DNA Event Management firm, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) will also be recorded.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is most likely to get custody of Nikhil Sosale, the Marketing Head of RCB. His petition challenging his arrest by the police is also scheduled to come before the court today. Sunil Matthew, Kiran, and Sumanth from DNA Event Management are the other arrested individuals. The CID has sought custody of these four accused, who are currently lodged in the Bengaluru Central Prison.

The CID is also likely to question KSCA President Raghuram Bhat, Secretary A. Shankar, and Treasurer E.S. Jayaram, who have obtained relief from the High Court against coercive action by the police department.

Following public backlash, the state government has increased the compensation amount from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. Additionally, the government suspended five senior police officers, including the Bengaluru Police Commissioner.

New Delhi, June 7: A man who issued a death threat to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has been arrested by a team from the North-West District Special Staff of the Delhi Police.

The accused was apprehended from Ghaziabad following swift investigative efforts after the threatening call was made late on Thursday night.

According to police officials, the threat call was made to the Ghaziabad Police Control Room (PCR) while the accused was allegedly under the influence of alcohol.

Shortly after the threat was received, the Delhi Police Control Room was alerted, and the matter was escalated due to the high-profile nature of the target.

Investigators identified the caller and tracked his location, but by the time authorities reached the source, the suspect had switched off his mobile phone.

After intensive tracing efforts, the Special Staff managed to arrest him from a hideout in Ghaziabad.

Preliminary interrogation has revealed that the accused is a law graduate (LLB), who had been facing personal turmoil due to a troubled marriage. His wife had recently left him, which reportedly pushed him into emotional distress.

Before making the death threat, he had placed another call in which he demanded to speak to his wife, police said.

Interestingly, the accused was found in possession of fake identification cards that appeared to be police credentials, raising suspicions that he may have attempted to impersonate law enforcement personnel.

Officers stated that he repeatedly tried to mislead the police during questioning.

“Assessment of the threat perception of VIPs or VVIPs is conducted by security agencies on the direction of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA),” a senior Delhi Police officer said.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is entitled to Z-category security under the standard protocol. Security agencies are expected to reassess her security cover following this incident, officials confirmed.

Police are continuing their investigation to determine whether the accused has any prior criminal history or links to other disruptive activities.

Authorities have also launched a separate enquiry into the use of forged police IDs found in his possession.

Ahmedabad, June 6: The Forest Department in Gujarat has taken action against five individuals caught attempting to spot lions illegally in the Kodiya Vedma area of the Khambha Tulsishyam range in Dhari Gir East.

According to officials, forest patrol teams intercepted a car late at night on June 5 in the protected Kodiya VD zone.

The group, which included two individuals from Bhavnagar and three from Khambha, had entered the restricted area without permission in an attempt to sight lions.

Acting under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Department imposed a fine of Rs 90,000 on the offenders. A formal case has also been registered against them.

Illegal lion sightings in the Gir forest region have become a growing concern, with such intrusions not only endangering wildlife but also violating the core principles of conservation.

Officials warned that strict legal and financial penalties will continue to be enforced against anyone disrupting the natural habitat or endangering the safety of both animals and people.

The Forest Department has reiterated its appeal to the public to avoid unauthorised wildlife excursions and support the ongoing efforts to protect the Asiatic lion population in the Gir forest. Illegal lion sightings and unauthorised safaris have become an increasing concern in Gujarat, particularly in and around the Gir National Park – the only natural habitat of Asiatic lions.

Over the past few years, forest officials have recorded multiple incidents of individuals and groups entering restricted areas for lion sightings, often during late hours and without permits.

In January 2023, eight people were caught conducting an illegal lion show in the Babariya range of Gir West and were fined a total of Rs 1.2 lakh under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

In another case from February 2022, a group of tourists from Surat was booked for entering a protected forest zone in the Amreli district and attempting to provoke a pride of lions for social media videos.

Similarly, in 2021, a local in Junagadh was arrested for organising a paid “lion show” for private guests, a case that led to increased surveillance by the Forest Department.