Stampede fallout: CM's aide sacked, officials arrested

Amid the backlash over the stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium during the RCB's celebrations in which 11 persons were killed, the Karnataka government on Friday sacked K. Govindaraju as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's Political Secretary, even as police arrested a senior RCB official and two top officials of an event management company in connection with the incident.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

The government has not given any reason for the ouster of Govindaraju, a close confidant of Siddaramaiah and a Congress MLC. However, sources say that the move has come following severe criticism from various cabinet ministers for organising the felicitation programme for the RCB players at the Vidhana Soudha.

According to the sources, there was an outburst from ministers in the cabinet meeting held on Thursday evening. CM Siddaramaiah had reportedly given permission for the felicitation programme due to pressure from Govindaraju, who is also the President of the Karnataka Olympic Association.