A day after a major Indian Premier League fixture at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Cubbon Park Police registered an FIR over alleged sabotage of the venue’s CCTV surveillance network. The complaint pertains to the April 24 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans. According to the FIR registered by a representative overseeing stadium surveillance operations, a routine inspection on the morning of the match revealed that more than 240 CCTV cameras had gone offline. The disruption reportedly affected key areas including entry gates, perimeter zones, the D Corporate Stand, and concourses, raising concerns over security preparedness on match day.
The suspects have been identified as 37-year-old Manjunath, a native of Hiriyur in Chitradurga, and 19-year-old Abdul Kalam from Uttar Pradesh. Both men were reportedly employed by a sub-vendor for IVS Digital Solutions, the firm contracted to provide digital and surveillance services at the venue.
Aditya Bhat, an employee of the Gurugram-based AI surveillance firm Staqu Technologies Pvt Ltd, filed the formal complaint. He accused the duo of entering a restricted CCTV control room without authorisation and causing physical damage to the equipment.
Based on the complaint, a case has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 324(4), and further investigation is underway.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) Akshay M Hakay confirmed the incident and said swift action helped restore the system. “This happened on the 24th morning, around 11.30 am. Two employees of a sub-distributor entered the stadium and damaged CCTV fibre connections and the video recorder. This was rectified within an hour after it was noticed. Preliminary investigation suggests these two employees had some personal grudge about the company, maybe they had not received their payment, so they committed the act. Both accused have been identified and further action will be taken soon. All CCTVs were active within an hour and it did not have any impact on the match,” he said.
Reported evidence includes CCTV footage showing the pair accessing sensitive areas, such as the control room and various connection boxes located near the parking facility. Authorities are currently investigating the motives behind the act, which compromised the stadium’s safety protocols. Preliminary reports suggest the destruction was an act of protest over the non-payment of dues amounting to Rs 10 lakh.
The accused allegedly informed the police that they acted out of frustration because their payments remained outstanding despite repeated reminders. A case has been registered against the two individuals for the intentional destruction of property, and further investigations are ongoing.
As for the IPL 2026 season, RCB’s matches at the Chinnaswamy for this season are already over, with the franchise now moving to a new venue for the remaining home games. RCB’s remaining two home games for this year are being moved to Raipur due to pre-existing logistical arrangements.
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