- 7/17/2025
A judicial inquiry report into the deadly stampede at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium blames the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), event managers DNA Networks, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) for organising an unauthorised victory parade that left 11 people dead on June 4.
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00:00Good evening, hello and welcome. You're with the news today, your prime time destination news, newsmakers, talking points.
00:07This is where you get the news without the noise, the big talking point in India Today exclusive.
00:12We bring you the details of the judicial probe into the Bengaluru stampede.
00:17It's blaming the organizers, giving the Siddharamaya, getting the Siddharamaya government off the hook.
00:22Can that government in Karnataka escape blame for the stampede? We'll ask that question.
00:26Also, Patna's gang wars have reached a hospital. Is Jangal Raj back in Bihar ahead of elections there?
00:35All the hard questions to be asked on the news today, news without fear or favor.
00:40First, as always, it's time for the nine headlines at nine.
00:45The air accident investigation body dismisses international media reports,
00:50blaming AI-171 chief pilot, says don't report unverified facts,
00:56urges against creating angst towards India's aviation industry.
01:03Two reports, two clean chits to the Siddharamaya government in the Bengaluru stampede probe.
01:08Judicial reports and social media posts led to chaos.
01:12RCB and Karnataka Cricket Association to face criminal charges.
01:16Five men stroll into a Patna hospital with guns, kill rival, gangster Chandan Mishra and leave.
01:25Chilling moments caught on CCTV.
01:28Opposition says, Jangal Raj is back in Bihar.
01:36Marwadi's shopkeeper in Mumbai is thrashed by Raj Thakre's party men for an anti-Marathi post.
01:42Shopkeeper forced to publicly apologize.
01:44A 19-year-old, a 10-year-old child abducted and raped in Thiruvallavur in Tamil Nadu.
01:55Five days on, no arrests.
01:56State government forms probe team to lab the rapist.
01:59India today accesses the image of the accused.
02:04India rejects NATO chief sanctions threat over Russia.
02:07Oil trade warns the West against adopting any double standards.
02:10New Delhi arranges counsellor access now for Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya on death row in Yemen.
02:19MEA says India in touch with friendly governments and local authorities.
02:26Akash prime missile aces Ladakh test downs to unmanned targets at 15,000 feet.
02:31Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulates DRDO for the feat.
02:34And already trailing one-two, is there more bad news in store for India and England?
02:42Concerns after Pesa Arshdeep Singh suffers a hand injury during practice may require surgery.
02:48For the story that we are breaking at this moment,
03:00Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has slammed the Wall Street Journal on its report on the AI-171 crash.
03:09AIAIB's statement says it has come to attention that certain sections of the international media
03:15are repeatedly attempting to draw conclusions through selective and unverified reporting.
03:21This is not the time to create public anxiety or angst towards safety of the Indian aviation industry,
03:26particularly on the base of unfounded facts.
03:29It is essential to respect the sensitivity of the loss faced by family members of deceased passengers.
03:34Such actions are irresponsible, especially while the investigation remains ongoing.
03:40At this stage, it is too early to reach to any definite conclusions.
03:43The investigation by AIAIB is still not complete.
03:47The final investigation report will come out with root causes and recommendations.
03:52So, that's the statement come from the AIAIB,
03:56the authority that's investigating the AI-17 crash in Ahmedabad.
04:02Amit Bhardwaj joins me at the moment.
04:04Amit Bhardwaj, the fact is that the AI-171 came out with a report,
04:10didn't do any press conference, put out the report well after midnight,
04:14and particularly the manner in which they put out select conversations between the pilots
04:19have led to speculation.
04:21So, why doesn't the AI-171 conduct a press conference to once and for all settle all doubts?
04:27Why is it allowing this speculation to grow?
04:31How is it responding?
04:32Why now?
04:33Why couldn't it come out clearly with the facts?
04:37What is stopping them from doing so?
04:41Razeev, two aspects to it.
04:43Number one, obviously, about AIB not holding the press conference.
04:46So, for that matter, we can say that AIB is the probe agency.
04:49Let them not come in the public court, but where is the Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu?
04:56You know, after holding that one press conference, there has been not a single word coming from Ram Mohan Naidu,
05:01besides one of the other Janata bites, common bites that he has been doing,
05:06that to outside the national capital.
05:09And the MOCA secretary has not held any press conference either in this particular regard.
05:14So, that has definitely opened the floodgate for the international media to play out as they wish
05:19and make insinuations the way they want to do.
05:23Second fact is that, you know, it's not the first report of the WSJ,
05:28which has prompted the AIB to make out this particular statement,
05:31but rather, ever since that AIB report came out,
05:35you know, what we have seen is that, you know,
05:37headlines have been made in a manner and fashion such
05:40that confusion between pilots led to AI-171 crash against AIB report
05:48when, factually, this was an absolutely incorrect headline to go with.
05:53But that's what Section of International Media has done as well.
05:57So, that is a big point question.
06:00The pilot associations from India as well as global pilot associations
06:05have time and again asked, appealed, urged, you know, media houses
06:10to not make insinuations spinning down the responsibility
06:13on these pilots who are not there to defend themselves.
06:17And if we say that pilots are under scanners, so is Boeing.
06:20You know, nobody has given clean sheet to Boeing
06:21and nobody has given a clean sheet to Air India.
06:24For that matter, the company which manufactures the engine of Boeing
06:28and compliance authorities as well.
06:31So, definitely, there are loopholes, as you suggested,
06:35that, you know, that there's a text or conversation between those two pilots
06:44like Sundar and Sabrawal.
06:46So, that is in context, yes.
06:49The point, Amit Bhardwaj, I want to make,
06:52you're saying no one has given a clean sheet to Boeing or Air India.
06:55Why doesn't the AIIB say that very clearly?
06:58By paraphrasing only one little aspect of that conversation
07:02between the pilots on the cutting off of the fuel switches,
07:05they have allowed this speculation to grow.
07:08Why doesn't AIIB either release the entire cockpit voice record
07:12and some of the pilots are demanding
07:13or make it very clear that there is no clean sheet given to Boeing or Air India?
07:19Rajiv, that is something that AIIB, I think, would ponder upon now
07:26because that text is not without a context
07:29because there was a case of transition of fuel controls
07:34which is made in that report
07:35and the focus of that report was about
07:37as to how this transition led to the crash.
07:40And that is, the text has been released in that context
07:43and now several inferences and interpretations
07:47are being made out from that particular text.
07:49So, here's that question is being asked
07:51that why not put out the entire transcript of the CBR
07:54which has been received or at least from the timing
07:58from which the flight took off
08:00and in the timing of cracks
08:01that would have actually made the picture even more clear.
08:04So, possibly, there could be a technical aspect,
08:07you know, a scope for more speculation,
08:09more inferences or rather beyond context.
08:12This interpretation, that could have also stopped the AIIB
08:16from making the entire CBR from that particular time zone
08:19being released.
08:20But definitely, it has opened the scope
08:22for floodgate of misreporting as we mentioned.
08:27Back to you.
08:28Okay.
08:28Amit Bhardwaj, for telling us
08:30how the AIIB has had to step in with damage control,
08:33remember the Wall Street Journal report
08:34seemed to suggest that it was the pilots
08:37or one of the pilots who had manually cut off the fuel switch
08:41that could have led to the engine failure
08:43which in turn led to the crash.
08:46Clearly, the international media
08:48now under the scanner for its role there.
08:50Let me turn there to the other big story.
08:53Remember the Bengaluru Stampede also last month.
08:55Well, here's an India Today exclusive.
08:57India Today has now accessed
08:59the Michael Dekuna commission report
09:01on the Bengaluru Stampede
09:03in which 11 people died after the IPL victory
09:06of Royal Challengers Bengaluru last month.
09:09Now, the report says no permission was taken
09:11according to the report under the licensing
09:13and controlling of Assembly's order
09:15by the organizers' RCB.
09:18Police officers provided bhandobas
09:19despite the event being unauthorized.
09:22RCB's social media posts at 7.01 a.m. and 8 a.m.
09:26led to massive crowds.
09:28No gatewise entry guidance was given
09:30even as the crowd surged leading to chaos.
09:33Deaths and injuries are due to gross negligence
09:35absent of security management.
09:38The organizers in this case
09:39according to the report
09:41were the Karnataka State Cricket Association
09:43and RCB failed to ensure basic safety
09:46must be held accountable.
09:48The report also says that Virat Kohli's popularity
09:51was one reason why so many people
09:54had gathered there.
09:55Remember 11 dead, hundreds were injured.
09:57The blame game has predictably begun.
10:01The report now raises more questions than answers
10:03because while cricketers, policemen, organizers
10:06all in the line of fire,
10:07guess who's got away?
10:09The government of Karnataka.
10:11Take a look at this report
10:12and then I'll be back with more.
10:14What was meant to be a moment of collective joy
10:20for a cricket-crazy city
10:22turned into tragedy.
10:26A stampede that left 11 dead,
10:29lax in panic and Bengaluru shaken and scarred.
10:34More than a month later,
10:35the Justice Michael Kuna commission's report
10:38on the stampede is out.
10:39The Siddharamaya government on Thursday
10:41accepted the report that was submitted last week.
10:45The report exclusively accessed by India Today reveals
10:48the felicitation event at the Chinnaswami Stadium
10:51was held without permission under relevant rules.
10:54The police officers colluded with organizers
10:57blamed the RCB's chaotic messaging.
11:00The report is a shot in the arm for the Siddharamaya government
11:03as the commission's report holds the organizers accountable.
11:07Meanwhile, the Karnataka government submitted
11:09its official report to the High Court
11:11that blamed everyone except itself.
11:15The investigation claims that the police
11:18had formally denied permission
11:19for the June 4 celebration.
11:21Yet, RCB went full throttle with promotions.
11:27Virat Kohli himself appeared in a video
11:29inviting fans to the event
11:30where entry was free.
11:32No mention of passes,
11:34no hint of restriction.
11:37Kiosk followed.
11:38A crowd of over 3 lakh people
11:40had already gathered.
11:42Before the administration could realize
11:44confusion turned into mass panic.
11:49The report flags poor crowd management,
11:52delayed gate openings,
11:54and a total lack of coordination
11:56between stakeholders.
11:58The stadium was unprepared.
12:00Seven policemen were injured.
12:01And in a shocking court submission,
12:05the state's own council
12:07admitted that police officers
12:09were acting like servants of RCB.
12:11But conveniently missing from the firing line
12:18is the government itself.
12:22There is no failure of the government.
12:25They should have not properly arranged
12:29the police bondabast.
12:30That is why the commissioner
12:33said,
12:34I went to the function
12:36which was held
12:39near Vidanshawda
12:41by 4.15.
12:45Because
12:46the stampede
12:48was taken place
12:49before 4.15.
12:51The police people
12:53did not inform me at all.
12:55I didn't know.
12:56While Koli is being named,
13:00while cops are being shamed,
13:02the government,
13:03the final authority,
13:04appears to be emerged untouched.
13:07It has even given the go-ahead
13:09for criminal complaints
13:10to be filed against RCB
13:12and the state cricket body.
13:15It is a completely,
13:17government is trying to
13:18wash off its hands
13:19from this incident.
13:22Government's hands and body
13:23is covered with blood.
13:24They will not be able
13:25to escape from
13:26this stampede incident.
13:29Because when tragedy strikes,
13:31it seems
13:31power protects power.
13:34And accountability
13:34is just another name
13:36on the missing list.
13:39Bureau Report,
13:39India Today.
13:45So do we now have
13:46a judicial report
13:47that is exonerating
13:48the Siddharamaya government?
13:50Can the Siddharamaya government
13:51escape blame
13:52for the stampede?
13:53RCB, organizers,
13:55police, all in the dock.
13:57But who really
13:58will actually be held accountable?
14:01Questions that I will raise
14:02with A.S. Ponampa.
14:03He is both legal advisor
14:05to Karnataka Chief Minister
14:06and a Congress MLA.
14:08Narendra Rangappa
14:09is BJP's senior spokesperson there.
14:11And S.T. Ramesh,
14:12former DGP Karnataka.
14:14Appreciate your joining us.
14:15Mr. Ponampa,
14:16let me come to you.
14:17The report as I see it
14:18that we have access
14:19blames RCB,
14:21DNA Networks,
14:22the event managers,
14:23the KACA for organizing
14:24an unauthorized victory parade.
14:27But given that this event
14:28was approved
14:29to be held
14:30at the Vidant Sauda,
14:31a government-controlled site,
14:33how does the Congress
14:34claim complete non-involvement?
14:36A major event
14:37is taking place
14:38at Chinnaswami Stadium,
14:39one at Vidant Sauda.
14:40Stampede takes place,
14:41yes,
14:41at Chinnaswami Stadium.
14:43And the government says
14:44we had no idea
14:45what was going on.
14:47And therefore,
14:48the report seems
14:48to exonerate
14:49completely the government.
14:51The Home Minister,
14:52surely,
14:53or someone in the government
14:54must take responsibility too.
14:58Rajdeep,
14:59let us not mix up the issues.
15:02We are specifically
15:03dealing with the celebration
15:05at Chinnaswami Stadium
15:06where the stampede took place
15:10and where the deaths
15:11have happened.
15:13Therefore,
15:16the entire report
15:17of the Commission of Enquiry
15:18and the Magistrial Enquiry
15:21are dealing with this
15:23stampede incident
15:24which took place
15:25outside the Chinnaswami Stadium.
15:28This is an event
15:30purely in the realm
15:31of a private
15:32celebration
15:36by RCB
15:37which utilized
15:39the KCA premises
15:40of the Chinnaswami Stadium
15:41premises for its matches
15:42as well for celebrating
15:44its victory.
15:45KCA
15:46which provided
15:47the premises
15:47and DNA
15:49which is the event manager
15:51of the intermediary
15:52in this whole thing.
15:54Now,
15:54where the police
15:55step in is
15:56that the RCB
15:59and the KCA
16:00have one day prior
16:01to the date
16:03of the celebration
16:03represented to them
16:06or intimated them
16:07or applied to them
16:08seeking permission.
16:09Now,
16:11there is a controlling order
16:12as you have pointed out
16:13just before
16:14you allowed us to speak
16:162009 controlling order
16:18which deals
16:18with permissions
16:20and how the police
16:21must act
16:21while providing permission
16:22to the
16:23such assemblies
16:24or such programs
16:25or such celebrations.
16:26So,
16:27as far as
16:28the organizers
16:29are concerned
16:30very categorical
16:32finding
16:32that we can see
16:34which is a fact
16:34is that
16:35they did not have
16:35the permission
16:36to go ahead
16:36with the celebration.
16:38Whether they were required
16:39to obtain
16:40such a permission
16:40yes,
16:41they were required.
16:42Whether they took
16:42such a permission
16:43no,
16:43they did not take.
16:44These are rather cold facts.
16:46Now,
16:47I take your cold facts
16:48but I take your point
16:50that they did not
16:51have the full permission
16:52and went ahead
16:53with the function.
16:53Then why did
16:54government functionaries
16:55attend such a function?
16:57Mr. D.K. Shivkumar
16:58Deputy Chief Minister
16:59was happily giving
16:59the award
17:00to Virat Kohli.
17:02A parallel function
17:03took place
17:04at Vidhan Sauda
17:05which eventually
17:05led to the
17:06political secretary
17:07of the Chief Minister
17:08Siddharamaya
17:09stepping down.
17:10My point is
17:10are we saying
17:11that all of these
17:11took place
17:12with a government
17:12completely oblivious
17:14to the fact
17:15that such a major event
17:16was taking place
17:17without any permissions
17:18and surely
17:19the police department
17:20reports to the
17:21Home Ministry
17:21and the Home Minister?
17:23No,
17:23this is exactly why
17:25the commissioner
17:26of police
17:27additional commissioner
17:28going all the way
17:29downwards to the
17:29police inspector
17:30stand suspended.
17:33Are you going to
17:34tell us that
17:35the government
17:35has acted
17:36you know
17:37with this kind
17:39of action
17:40without any basis?
17:43We are told
17:44that the police
17:45officials had spoken
17:46to the government
17:47which gave the
17:47green signal.
17:48Are you telling
17:49me the police
17:50officials allowed
17:51all of this
17:51to take place
17:52are you telling
17:53me the police
17:53officials allowed
17:54all these events
17:55to take place
17:55without consulting
17:57the government
17:57and someone in
17:58the government
17:58didn't give them
17:59a green signal?
17:59No, I am not
18:01saying it.
18:02The facts
18:03before you
18:04through the
18:04inquiry reports
18:05are saying it.
18:07Now, it may not
18:08suit somebody's
18:08palat
18:09that the government
18:11is not a party
18:12to something like
18:13this.
18:13But that doesn't
18:14mean that you
18:14deviate from the
18:15facts.
18:15The facts
18:16remain the facts.
18:17What the police
18:18were meant to do,
18:19supposed to do
18:19in law,
18:20they did not do
18:21it.
18:22Which is why
18:22they are
18:23suspended,
18:23which is why
18:25action was taken.
18:26This is an event
18:27which took place
18:27within 24 hours.
18:29Government,
18:30whether the
18:31police commissioner
18:32or the
18:33intelligence
18:35briefed the
18:36home minister
18:36on the morning
18:38of the event,
18:38they did not
18:39brief the
18:39home minister.
18:41They did not
18:41brief the
18:42chief minister
18:42about this
18:44Chinnaswami event.
18:45They did not
18:46brief that
18:46permission was
18:47sought and
18:47no permission
18:48has been given.
18:49Now, the
18:50act, the
18:50controlling order
18:51also specifically
18:52mandates,
18:53section 8 says,
18:54that the
18:55licensing
18:56authority must
18:57reject when
18:59they cannot
19:00allow this
19:00program to
19:01go on.
19:03You have
19:03slept over
19:03this application.
19:04Are you going
19:05to tell that
19:06the chief
19:06minister and
19:07the home
19:07minister were
19:07aware of
19:08an application
19:08made for
19:08permission to
19:09the police
19:09department?
19:11Can I
19:11just take
19:13I've heard
19:15you, I've
19:16heard you.
19:16Honorable
19:17chief minister
19:17himself saying
19:18that deaths
19:20have taken
19:20place by the
19:21time he went
19:21to Vidant
19:22Saudar.
19:22police officers
19:24were very
19:24busy taking
19:26care of
19:26the program.
19:27They did
19:27not know
19:28about the
19:28stampede.
19:29They did
19:29not inform
19:29the chief
19:31minister or
19:31the home
19:31minister about
19:32the stampede.
19:35In fact,
19:36when at
19:365.20,
19:38after the
19:38program in
19:39Vidant
19:39Saudar,
19:40the
19:41Honorable
19:41chief minister
19:41was informed
19:42about the
19:43death,
19:43not by the
19:44police,
19:44by somebody
19:44else.
19:46He then
19:46called the
19:46commissioner
19:47of police
19:47to check.
19:48Even
19:48then,
19:49the commissioner
19:49did not
19:50inform the
19:50chief minister
19:51that 11
19:51deaths have
19:52taken place.
19:52This is
19:52the fact.
19:53Okay.
19:54Can I just
19:55go now to
19:56Narendra
19:56Rangappa?
19:57Narendra
19:57Rangappa,
19:58what Mr.
19:58Punappa is
19:59saying there
19:59is that,
20:00you know,
20:00these are the
20:01facts which
20:02have come
20:03through a
20:03judicial
20:04commission now.
20:05Now,
20:05if that
20:05commission
20:06believes that
20:06the government
20:07had no
20:07role to
20:08play in
20:08this entire
20:09private event,
20:10so be it.
20:11Are you
20:11looking in
20:12some way to
20:13target the
20:14government in
20:14this case?
20:15Does that
20:16mean tomorrow
20:16whenever a
20:17stampede takes
20:18place in any
20:18part of the
20:19country,
20:19this was in
20:19Bengaluru,
20:20in any part
20:20of the
20:20country,
20:22be blamed?
20:23I haven't
20:23seen any
20:23report on
20:24the Kumbh
20:24Mela,
20:25for example,
20:25blaming Yogi
20:26Adityanath.
20:28Sir,
20:29let me first
20:30make a
20:32statement that
20:32the government
20:33is accountable
20:33for and
20:34responsible for
20:35the law and
20:35order situation
20:36in Karnataka.
20:38The police
20:38happens to be
20:39an essential
20:39organ of the
20:40state government.
20:42Mr. Michael
20:42Kunna seems to
20:44have amputated
20:44an essential part
20:45of the government
20:46in the report
20:46he has submitted.
20:48He has totally
20:49exorgnated the
20:50CMDCM in the
20:50Home Minister.
20:51these were
20:53entities that
20:54were hand in
20:55law with
20:56RCP DNA
20:56and the
20:57other case
20:58here.
20:58Are you
20:59saying that
21:01Michael Kunna
21:02has deliberately
21:02delivered a
21:03report to
21:03exonerate the
21:04Karnataka government?
21:05Is that the
21:06charge you are
21:06making?
21:07That a judicial
21:07officer appointed
21:08has deliberately
21:09done so?
21:10That's a very
21:11serious charge
21:11to make?
21:12because the
21:14Home Ministry,
21:15the police is
21:17the government.
21:18If these
21:20people are
21:20blamed, then
21:21why not their
21:22masters?
21:22Why not the
21:23Home Minister?
21:24Why not the
21:25Chief Minister who
21:26are responsible for
21:27running the
21:28government?
21:29Who are
21:29responsible for
21:30maintaining law
21:30and order?
21:31Are we saying
21:32that whenever a
21:33private event takes
21:36place in any part
21:37of the country,
21:38if there is a
21:38stampede in that
21:39event, the
21:40Minister or the
21:41Chief Minister of
21:41that state must be
21:42held accountable?
21:43Is that what you're
21:43saying now?
21:44100 percent.
21:48KSCA is a
21:49private ground.
21:50How is the
21:50Chief Minister
21:51responsible for a
21:51stampede at KSCA?
21:53But he is
21:53responsible for the
21:54law and order.
21:56Whether KSCA is not
21:57following the law
21:58and order or if
21:59DNA is not
22:00respecting the
22:01government, if any
22:02function or gathering
22:03is allowed without
22:05any permission from
22:06the respective
22:06authorities, it is
22:08illegal and it is
22:09the priority of the
22:11CM and the
22:12cabinet to see that
22:13such things don't
22:14happen, if they
22:15had been a little
22:16bit proactive, love
22:18and death would
22:18have been prevented.
22:20I squarely blame
22:21that the government
22:23of Karnataka has
22:24blood on its hand.
22:26Okay, you're
22:26saying government
22:27of Karnataka has
22:28blood on its hand.
22:28Let me just, away
22:29from the politics,
22:30ST, Ramesh, ask
22:31you, look at what
22:32happened to the
22:33police.
22:33You had a police
22:34commissioner of
22:34some distinction
22:35being suspended.
22:37You had other
22:38officers being
22:38transferred out.
22:40Do you believe at
22:40the end of the
22:41day, now that this
22:41report is out and
22:42India today has
22:43accessed it, that
22:45effectively what it's
22:46doing is making the
22:47police and the
22:48private organizers
22:49responsible, the
22:51government and
22:52ministers, all of
22:53whom knew, knew
22:55that this event was
22:55taking place.
22:56Let them say that
22:57no one can say
22:58they didn't have
22:59knowledge because it
22:59was taking place
23:00both in Vidant
23:00Sauda and KSEA.
23:02Have they been let
23:03off the hook too
23:04easily?
23:05Have the police
23:05become the fall
23:06guy in your view,
23:07Mr. Ramesh?
23:07I have been saying
23:11right from the
23:12beginning, Rajdeep,
23:12that police have
23:13been made a
23:15scapegoat.
23:16And I hold on to
23:18that view even
23:19now.
23:20There were many
23:21stakeholders in this
23:22bizarre incident on
23:24the 4th of June.
23:27The political leaders
23:29of the ruling, the
23:31government, are
23:33definitely one of
23:36the stakeholders
23:36because there was
23:38a reception at
23:39Vidana Sauda, the
23:40grand steps of the
23:41Vidana Sauda, and
23:42a few couple of, not
23:44even a couple of
23:45hours, maybe an
23:46hour before the
23:47RCB team, the
23:50heroes of IPL, moved
23:52to KSEA stadium.
23:54The KSEA stadium is
23:56barely one or one
23:57and a half kilometers
23:58from the Vidana
24:00Sauda.
24:01And there is free
24:02access for people
24:03to reach from
24:05Vidana Sauda to
24:07the KSEA, through
24:09the High Court
24:11itself, through the
24:12High Court, Kabban
24:12Park, they can just
24:13cross over.
24:15Vidana Sauda and
24:15KSEA are all in
24:17different parts of
24:18the Kabban
24:19Park complex.
24:21Now, definitely the
24:23state governments are
24:24stakeholders.
24:26Police is also a
24:27stakeholder, but if
24:28anything, they are
24:29the least among
24:31the stakeholders, they
24:33are the last among
24:34the stakeholders.
24:35The police, just
24:36consider the
24:37circumstances, give
24:38me a minute.
24:39The entire night of
24:41third and fourth, all
24:42the entire police
24:43force of Bangalore was
24:45on the streets during
24:47the night, keeping
24:48vigil because there
24:49was delirious
24:51celebrations on the
24:52streets of Bangalore.
24:53You could hear it in
24:54the outskirts of
24:55Bangalore.
24:56Everywhere there was
24:57celebration.
24:58The important thing
24:59is, RCB has no
25:05organic connection with
25:10Karnataka.
25:11It means that it has a
25:13suffix, Bangalore, and
25:15it is a franchise.
25:16It is nothing to do
25:17with it.
25:18And there are barely two
25:19or three players of
25:21Karnataka included in
25:22the RCB team.
25:24Now, what has a
25:25franchise got to do
25:27with the grand steps
25:29of Vidhan Soudha are
25:30meant for government
25:31functions?
25:33And by holding a
25:35reception at the
25:36grand steps of the
25:38Vidhan Soudha in which
25:39everybody was present,
25:42the entire cabinet
25:43perhaps was present
25:44with their families,
25:47the state government
25:48becomes a very, very
25:49big stakeholder.
25:51Was there a
25:52permission to do
25:53with the stampede,
25:54sir, with due
25:54regard, Mr. Ramesh,
25:55with due regard, Mr.
25:56Ramesh, the stampede
25:57takes place at KSEA.
25:59The Karnataka police
26:00or the Bangalore police,
26:01if it has rejected
26:02permission, should not
26:04have allowed the
26:04function to go ahead
26:05in the first place.
26:06So, you cannot say
26:07that the police is not
26:08culpable.
26:09The police also had a,
26:10the police should have
26:11said, no, we are not
26:12allowing you to do the
26:13function.
26:13They should have said,
26:14sorry, not, not
26:15happening.
26:15This is being
26:19oversimplifying the
26:20event.
26:21The, the Facebook
26:23post was made at
26:25seven o'clock as you
26:26yourself stated in
26:28the email stages.
26:29People started coming.
26:31The RCP has a, as a
26:33following of 21
26:34million.
26:35The Bangalore city
26:36police has a social
26:39media following of
26:402 million.
26:41So, where do you,
26:42how do you make the
26:43appeal and how do you
26:44countermand the appeal
26:45of the RCB?
26:46It would have led to
26:47potential greater
26:49confusion.
26:50So, people are
26:51surging, people are
26:52surging, how do you
26:53physically stop them?
26:55So, so the primary,
26:56the primary responsibility
26:58was of RCB and KSEA.
27:00Let's be clear.
27:01They flouted the rules
27:02very clearly.
27:04They went ahead in the
27:06belief that they would
27:07get the permission and
27:09put out the social media
27:10post.
27:10But Mr. Ponanna in
27:11conclusion, you've
27:12heard, you know, when a
27:14chief minister or a
27:15deputy chief minister are
27:16seen to endorse the
27:17function, in one event
27:18he is holding the IPL
27:20trophy with Virat Kohli
27:21and another one is
27:22deputy chief minister
27:23Siddharamaya.
27:24The government cannot
27:25simply say tomorrow
27:26when things went wrong,
27:27we didn't know what was
27:28happening.
27:28That's the problem.
27:29It would have been, you
27:30know, the Kuna report
27:32almost seems to suggest
27:33as if the government was
27:34living in a parallel
27:35universe, completely
27:36oblivious to what was
27:37happening.
27:37I just want to bring
27:41one fact into this
27:44that the request of
27:46RCB and KSA was
27:48for an open rally
27:50which the police
27:53denied orally
27:54and communicated
27:56to the concerned
27:57also that they will
27:58not be allowed to
27:59take out an open
28:00rally, which is an
28:01open bus rally,
28:02which the government
28:04agreed to.
28:06So what I'm trying to
28:07say here is, if the
28:08police were to
28:09intimate to the
28:11government or to the
28:11concerned that we are
28:13not in a position to go
28:14ahead with the program
28:15of this nature, of this
28:17magnitude, you can take
28:19it from me and be rest
28:20assured that you think
28:21there is no question of
28:23this program having gone
28:24ahead.
28:24Are you telling me the
28:27police did not
28:28communicate this to the
28:29chief minister's office
28:30or the deputy chief
28:31minister's office or the
28:31home ministry that we
28:33are in no position to
28:34carry on this function?
28:35Hundred and one percent
28:36they did not.
28:38They did not?
28:39Which government will
28:40say that when a police
28:42commissioner or the DG
28:43of police says that we
28:44are not in a position
28:45that you go ahead?
28:46A function which is
28:47totally unconnected as
28:48far as the state is
28:49concerned.
28:49And like our former
28:51DGP rightly said, see
28:52RCP is a franchising.
28:55No, that's all the
28:56more if RCP is a
28:57franchising, you didn't
28:58need D.K.
28:59Shiv Kumar running to
29:01the airport to receive
29:02the team if they are a
29:03private franchising.
29:04My point is the
29:05government's actions
29:06bellied.
29:06It would have been
29:07useful, then the
29:08government should have
29:08said we have nothing to
29:09do with this, this is a
29:10private event.
29:11Then I would believe
29:11every word that you
29:12say.
29:13Rajdeep, from when did
29:15an invitee or a guest
29:16to an event become
29:17liable for what happens
29:18then?
29:20You see, let's get the
29:21jurisprudence right.
29:22And when you point
29:23fingers at the
29:24government, especially
29:26Mr. Rangappa was
29:27trying to politicise it
29:29and say that the
29:30government is directly
29:31responsible, like you
29:32questioned him and
29:33rightly so, what
29:34happened in the
29:35kumbh mela?
29:35We do not bury
29:36things under the
29:37carpet.
29:38We have gone ahead
29:39with enquiries, we
29:39have gone ahead with
29:40the judicial enquiry.
29:41Judicial enquiry
29:42reports are there,
29:43the magistral enquiry
29:44reports are there,
29:45matters are in court
29:46in a public interest
29:46litigation, we have
29:47filed our status
29:48report there, we are
29:49clean and we are
29:51transparent.
29:51We have hidden
29:53facts have been
29:53hidden, numbers
29:54have been hidden,
29:56statistics have been
29:56hidden in the
29:57kumbh mela, let them
29:58come clean with it
29:59before questioning
29:59the government.
30:01Rangappa wants a
30:01final word.
30:02Mr. Rangappa, you
30:03know, every time you
30:04will target the
30:04Karnataka government,
30:05they will turn out
30:06and say you, the
30:07UP, BJP government
30:08swept it under the
30:09carpet, you did not
30:10even tell the country
30:11how many people died
30:12in the kumbh mela, you
30:13did not even tell the
30:14country, Mr. Rangappa,
30:15how many people died.
30:16Just a minute now,
30:17Mr. Pona, I'll let you
30:18respond.
30:19No, no, no, no, no, no.
30:19See, during the
30:22kumbh mela, total
30:24arrangements were
30:25pre-made.
30:27It was not that, it
30:28was just done out of
30:29the blue.
30:30All necessary
30:31precautions were
30:32taken.
30:33The time taken to
30:35react from the
30:36time of incident
30:37and the team to
30:39approach, the
30:39medical team of
30:40the ambulance and
30:42the rescue team to
30:42approach was one of
30:44the best that has
30:45happened in the
30:46world.
30:47Please don't compare
30:48this.
30:49Okay, you're saying
30:50don't compare the
30:52two stampedes.
30:53Either way, sir.
30:56Okay, time out,
30:58time out.
30:58This is where the
30:59noise takes over.
30:59But I think what we
31:00have got is a report
31:01in place.
31:02I think this report
31:03needs to be therefore
31:05looked at even more
31:06carefully by all
31:07the stakeholders.
31:08There are lessons to
31:09be learned.
31:09You cannot carry out
31:11such functions in
31:12future without due
31:13permission.
31:14Lessons for RCB and
31:15indeed lessons for
31:16government.
31:17It is not your job to
31:18get involved with
31:19private franchises and
31:21the celebrations.
31:22And if you are, then
31:23be ready to take
31:24accountability.
31:25I appreciate my
31:26guests joining me on
31:27my top talking point.
31:28I want to turn from
31:29there to my other
31:30talking point tonight
31:31which comes from
31:32Bihar where the
31:33shocking gang wars in
31:35that state have
31:36reached Patna
31:36hospital.
31:38Shooters were caught
31:39on CCTV entering a
31:41ward armed and then
31:42fleeing after murdering
31:43a convict.
31:44This is not the first
31:45but the latest in a
31:46series of murders in
31:47the heart of Patna.
31:49Is this
31:50Jungle Raj 2.0?
31:52India Today reports.
31:53Five armed gangsters
32:11entered a ward,
32:12murder a patient
32:13and escaped.
32:17No, this is not a
32:19scene from Gangs of
32:20Vasipur, but the
32:21horrifying reality of
32:23Bihar in 2025.
32:32Captured on camera,
32:33the killers pulling out
32:34their guns, opening the
32:36door to the cabin,
32:37unloading their weapons
32:39and fleeing seconds
32:40later.
32:41They killed gangster
32:46Chandan Mishra, a
32:48hardened criminal with
32:49multiple murder charges
32:51who was out on parole
32:52on medical grounds.
32:54But the police response
32:55has triggered even more
32:57outrage.
32:58Bihar's top cop claimed
32:59that this is the season
33:01for murders and crimes.
33:03Union Minister Jitin Ram
33:25Maji, instead of
33:26questioning law enforcement,
33:28blamed the hospital
33:29for lack security.
33:30.
33:55.
33:59.
34:00For the opposition, the incident is proof of the jungle Raj under CM Nitish Kumar.
34:30With Bihar now fully in pole season, this incident is
35:00a grim reminder of how crime-infested the state remains, a formidable test for the incoming government.
35:08With Rohit Singh, Bureau Report, India Today.
35:14Is Patna the new crime capital, if it ever was not?
35:18116 murders from January to May this year, many of them high profile.
35:22One murder taking place in every 25 hours in Patna.
35:26In an election year, let's raise the question, Jungle Raj back in Bihar.
35:31The opposition this time has put the BJP, JDU government in the dock.
35:36Is there a free run for gangsters?
35:38Who will fight crime in Bihar?
35:40Is Nitish Kumar losing his claim of being Shushasan Babu?
35:43Guru Prakash Paswan is the BJP spokesperson.
35:47Anshul Avjit of the Congress is joining me for my face-off.
35:50Appreciate both of you joining us.
35:52Guru Prakash Paswan, for years when Lalu Prasad Yadav ruled, the BJP claimed Jungle Raj in Bihar.
35:58Now, when Patna is emerging as a crime capital, can the JDU BJP government escape responsibility?
36:04No, Rajdeep ji, we must understand that it was not the BJP or the NDA that said it was a Jungle Raj.
36:15It was the Patna High Court after series of misgovernance, crime, caste massacres.
36:21The term was given by Patna High Court.
36:23The BJP, JDU combined used it in every rally for a decade.
36:28For every rally for a decade, you all said Jungle Raj in Bihar.
36:31It may have been first used in the courts, but that was your political narrative, your political slogan.
36:38No, no, but youâŠ
36:39No, no, we are not claiming credit for the origin of this term.
36:43And Patna High Court was essentially, it was a judicial process.
36:46The term came, the term was an output or a product of deliberation and series of misrule, series of caste massacres that happened in Bihar.
36:53But having said that, Rajdeep ji, we must accept and definitely, Mr. Nitish Kumar is identified as someone who has never compromised on crime,
37:02who has never compromised on corruption.
37:04And post-2005, if you look at it comprehensively, the last two decades have been the peaceful in Bihar.
37:10You see, the per capita crime, the murders per lakh population in Bihar has gone down fundamentally.
37:15The murder average per lakh was 4.1.
37:18Under Nitish Kumar's governance, it's 2.1.
37:20So, it's almost halved.
37:22But we accept accountability needs to be fixed.
37:24The incidents that has happened in the course of the last two weeks, each and every single case, Rajdeep ji,
37:30I can give you the action taken report.
37:33Arrest, encounters, inquiry, investigation.
37:37It is the topmost priority of the NDA government under Mr. Nitish Kumar.
37:41But we also accept that murders like this happening in broad daylight in Patna, it's highly unfortunate.
37:47But let me assure you and your viewers that it is and it always will be on the topmost mind of our leadership,
37:54be it political, administrative, bureaucratic or police.
37:57But we also realize that the person who died, the person who was shorted, has a criminal antecedent.
38:02He is notorious.
38:03But that doesn't discount.
38:05We are a country with a rule of law.
38:07We are a country with a constitution.
38:08We are a country which believes in giving fair hearing.
38:12But that is something...
38:12Guru Prakash, Paswan, these are all fine words.
38:14The person who was a notorious criminal record and of criminal antecedents.
38:18Sir, the fact is, and I have to go by data here.
38:20NCRB data for violent crime shows that there were 24,073 cases of violent crime in 2005 when Nitish Kumar took over.
38:29It's now 49,610.
38:33These are the figures of NCRB.
38:35But Anshul Avjit, according to Guru Prakash Paswan, this is very different from Lalu's Raj.
38:40According to him, Lalu's Raj, patronized criminals, the BJP is acting against them.
38:44Or the BJP, JDU government is acting against them.
38:48There is complete mayhem in Bihar.
38:51I mean, there is hopelessness, there is despair.
38:53It's not just crime.
38:55It's just not law and order.
38:56There is education, there is health, there is investment, there is joblessness.
39:00Every manner, every denominator, Bihar, you know, it's lowest ever.
39:07And you're talking about 20 years back.
39:09I know the BJP is really interested in rewriting history and, you know, vilifying historical actors and all.
39:16I just wonder what events that happened 20 years back have any kind of bearing on what is happening today in the killing fields of Bihar.
39:25I mean, this is the worst stereotype that has come along.
39:27I try, my friends, to tell them and dispel this image of Bihar as this crumbling sort of crime-infested place.
39:33You know, I'll have to work much, much harder to do that right now.
39:36No, but this was no different.
39:38The argument that the JDU BJP makes is that it's not as if all of this happened only when Nitish Kumar was in power.
39:47You come with all the baggage that Lalu Prasad had.
39:50And in his government, there were a number of criminals who were made, who were given tickets.
39:55It became the criminalization of politics was taken to another level.
39:59Do you concede that, Anshul Abjit?
40:01And therefore, perhaps...
40:02No, no, no, but what bearing does it have now?
40:04I don't understand what bearing this has in the current context.
40:08What relevance does it have right now?
40:10We are discussing the current state of Bihar.
40:12The hopelessness, the abject poverty.
40:15I mean, farmers, education, health in every sector.
40:18It's, you know, there's a downward spiral.
40:21You know, ADG, you know, made a very bizarre statement about, you know,
40:26normalizing it some sort of seasonal cycle of crime.
40:29And, you know, even Mr. Laland Singh, who was a very senior leader, said,
40:32you know, no, ye sab toh hota hai.
40:34My friend, a guru, said that, no, this is on the top of everyone's mind.
40:38I mean, they're completely normalizing it.
40:40Do tell me, if this, what happened earlier, indeed, if it did,
40:46waged so heavily in the conscience of the chief minister,
40:48then he joined the Ghat Bandhan twice, right?
40:51What prevented him?
40:52And now why is the BJP supporting him?
40:53That's, you know, that's a good point.
40:55Nitish Kumar joined Lalu Prasad Yadav.
40:57That time, there was no Jangal Raj.
40:59The moment he leaves, he would call it Jangal Raj, Guru Prakash Paswan.
41:03Also, the ADGP of Bihar, Kundan Krishnan,
41:07attributes the rising crime rate in the state to monsoon season,
41:10saying most farmers do not have work.
41:12I mean, these are bizarre reasons, including Jitin Ram Maji,
41:16saying this happens in private hospitals.
41:18So, I mean, you know, whether it's happening in a private or a government hospital,
41:22if people are going to be engaging in gang wars in the middle of hospital,
41:26the government has some responsibility, some accountability.
41:29I mean, the Niti, and the chief minister is absent, missing in action.
41:33The chief minister is rarely seen, rarely heard.
41:36Where is this Sushasan Babu of yours?
41:38No, no, that's not the case, Rajdeep ji.
41:45The chief minister is on the tour, he is touring Bihar, and it is on his mind.
41:49But let me make this very clear.
41:50And you, in your initial set of observation, used a very nice word,
41:55state patronized and state patronage criminals, only a couple of weeks ago.
41:59And Rajdeep ji, you are a fairly senior journalist.
42:01You would know the monster that Shah Budeen was.
42:03Only a couple of weeks ago, in a RJD convention, in Patna, Shah Budeen ji, Zindabad.
42:09Taslimuddin ji, Zindabad.
42:11Who is Shah Budeen?
42:12Yeah, but they are not in power.
42:13No, no, one minute, one minute, one minute.
42:14Guru Prakash Paswan, that's a good point, but they are not in power.
42:18Today, you are in power.
42:19Mr. Paswan, if the RJD was in power, everything you said makes sense.
42:24Today, they are not in power.
42:25When the BJP in JDU is in power, it's your damn responsibility to get it right.
42:29But you do realize the difference between organized crime, state-sponsored crime, state-protected
42:38crime and unorganized crime.
42:40You do realize the relevance of it.
42:42You do realize that there are land issues in Bihar.
42:44You do realize that the underbelly of Bihar has this major issue of suffering.
42:48But the problem is precisely this.
42:50State-promoted, state-protected, state-patronized crime and criminal network.
42:55Your journalist, Ashok Karan, you would remember, he was kidnapped.
42:59Dinesh Dinkar, he was murdered.
43:01Siwan Durdashian office was attacked.
43:03In Gaya, Hindustan was attacked.
43:04Mr. Gopal was murdered.
43:06Slew of journalists, list of journalists I have.
43:08There are names, Rajdeep, that shakes the conscience even today.
43:12Wife of an I.S. officer, Champa Biswas.
43:14The Shilpi Jain case.
43:15Miss Patna, a student of Vatna Women's College.
43:17We have to make a distinction.
43:19But having said that, Rajdeep ji, let me make this very clear that accountability will be fixed.
43:24Every single action in the last three weeks has been highly unfortunate.
43:28It's highly unfortunate that the police and the administration has taken serious cognizance of it.
43:34Okay, Anshul Abjit, I'll give you a final word.
43:36Because Guru Prakash Paswan is insisting that this, the violence we are seeing now cannot be compared to what he seems to refer to as state-sponsored violence in the previous regime of which you are an alliance, the RJD Congress Alliance.
43:51Well, it's top to bottom.
43:52I mean, ordinary people are protesting now.
43:55There are teachers who have been killed.
43:57There are doctors who have been killed.
43:58Shopkeepers, business people, convicts in hospitals.
44:01I mean, it's there everywhere.
44:02And the fact that the senior police official made such bizarre remarks was either because he's completely abdicating responsibility, because he can't do anything about it, because there have been over 12, according to one report, Rajdeep, staggering, I almost fell off the chair, 1,200 attacks against the police force.
44:21Two ASIs were actually killed in Oli.
44:23So the police force cannot protect itself.
44:26And now the public naturally has no choice but to lose faith in the police force itself.
44:30And the police is directly controlled by the executive.
44:35There is absolutely no doubt about it.
44:36There is complete lawlessness.
44:38There is a social context to this as well.
44:40Rajdeep, one last point.
44:41There is a social context to this.
44:44When there is mass joblessness, when there is despair and there is hopelessness, crime does come.
44:50Bihar needs to be fixed and can't be, remain in this broken state.
44:53You know, the worst thing, of course, is all of this is happening in an election year, in a sense, because then the political rhetoric takes over.
45:00But either way, as a friend just seeing the program has told me, watching those scenes in a Patna hospital, he's reminded of the Godfather and worse.
45:09These seem to be the killing fields of Patna.
45:12And this is not what any city, any part of the country wants to see.
45:16Guru Prakash Paswan, Anshul Abjit for joining me on my face-off.
45:19Thank you very much.
45:20Now, just a day after India Today reported that a government primary school in Chhattisgarh, Sarguja district exists only on paper.
45:29And that too, since 2006, children being forced to study in a crumbling, leaking Aanganwadi kitchen shed.
45:36Authorities have finally woken up after seeing our story here on the news today on Get Real India.
45:41Earlier today, the district collector has visited the dilapidated school, suspended the village secretary
45:47and issued a show cause notice to the block education officer.
45:51He has also approved the construction of a new school building and an Aanganwadi center directing officials to ensure the work begins without delay.
45:59It's an India Today impact and I assure you, we will continue to take up these kind of stories to raise your voice.
46:06Stories that do not make it to prime time anywhere, which is often caught in the noise of news.
46:12Okay, let's turn to another Get Real India story.
46:17Branded foreigners in their own land.
46:21Over 400 Bengali-speaking migrant workers were detained last week in Odisha as suspected Bangladeshis.
46:28Among them, 19 Indian citizens from West Bengal's Shukrabad village were held for days without proof
46:34until documents sent by their families finally secured their release.
46:39Why should speaking Bengali make you a Bangladeshi?
46:44Here's a ground report.
46:46Take a look.
46:46It's the worst nightmare one can suffer.
47:06Being told to prove your citizenship in your own country.
47:08Over 400 Bengali-speaking migrant workers were detained in Odisha last month.
47:16Branded as suspected Bangladeshis, they were packed off to temporary detention centers by the police.
47:2319 of them were from Shukrabad village in Birbhum district of West Bengal.
47:27They were detained on June 25th in Balasor, where they had gone to work.
47:33After a while, there was a Overall
47:58I think the numbers were taken from the same time.
48:02The numbers were not taken from the same time.
48:06The numbers were taken from Chandipur to the same time.
48:12How are you?
48:14No, I just took the same time.
48:16Where are you?
48:18Chandipur.
48:20How did you come to the detention camp?
48:22Not in school.
48:24Where were you?
48:26Where did your documents come from?
48:278.
48:28What are you doing?
48:29I'm not sure how to get all the documents in this country.
48:32I was in the way I was able to get all documents in my country.
48:37I got all documents from the country.
48:41I got all the documents in this country.
48:45How did you get your documents?
48:48No.
48:49No.
48:50No.
48:51What followed were days of agonizing wait.
49:11As their families rushed to gather documents to prove that detainees are indeed Indians.
49:19Several authorities came to their rescue.
49:22I have been already collected that documents of 17 people already they deposit to me and
49:30I already sent to the administration mainly DM and their original documents have been
49:38verified from the West Bengal government and already they already sent to government
49:45of Odisha they have been already verified and they have been proved that they are the citizens
49:53of India and the village of Shukrabad.
49:59After many days in detention all workers from Shukrabad were released.
50:06Some workers from West Bengal detained in Odisha having suspicion of them being Bangladeshi
50:12nationals despite having valid proof of address and identity like Aadhaar card, voter card and
50:18also Pancard they were apprehended.
50:21Finally after the intervention of the state government and providing additional documents
50:26they are back home now.
50:29They just say most men here go to Odisha and Andhra Pradesh for work.
50:35Now after spending many days in a detention centre they face uncertainty.
50:41Is this a one-off or will they face more harassment?
50:46With Tapas Sengupta, Bureau Report, India Today.
50:55Human stories that hopefully will be addressed by authorities.
50:58Let me turn from there to something happier, our good news today's story.
51:03Today this week stuntman SM Raju's tragic death during a film shoot in Tamil Nadu has reignited
51:09the debate over stunt safety in Indian cinema.
51:13With no insurance or health cover most stunt artists work without a safety net.
51:18Now actor, Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar has been quietly funding insurance for over 650
51:26stuntmen since 2017.
51:30What is Akshay doing and how does it help the stuntmen?
51:33Our good news today's story.
51:38Stunt artist SM Raju lost his life while performing a car stunt on the sets of filmmaker Pierre
51:44Ranjit's upcoming movie Starring Actor Arya.
51:48The chilling video of the incident that took place on Sunday went viral on social media.
51:54As the industry grappled with the loss of a talented artist, many are questioning the safety
52:00of stuntmen on film sets and the lack of any medical or life insurance for them.
52:08In Bollywood, Akshay Kumar has taken up the responsibility to provide this safety net to the action team.
52:14He has been paying almost 6 crore rupees as premium for the last 6-7 years
52:19to help provide mediclaim and insurance to stuntmen and their families.
52:25In 2017, Akshay Kumar stepped up to launch an insurance scheme for stuntmen.
52:35He started the initiative after a stuntmaster, Abdul Sattar Munna lost his life in a road accident
52:42and his family suffered miserably as he had no insurance.
52:47That is when Akshay took up the task of providing insurance and mediclaim for these action heroes.
52:54Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic, the Khiladi Kumar has sponsored mediclaim for about 650 to 700 stunt artists.
53:02Noted cardiac surgeon Dr. Ramakanta Panda, who operated on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2009,
53:10takes care of the medical treatment and other requirements.
53:13In 2016, Akshay Kumar gave an insurance gift for us, because I didn't have insurance before 2016.
53:24I had a lot of money for the insurance because I am a general secretary from 2002 and 2025.
53:32When Akshay Kumar shared this, Akshay Kumar took this very seriously and met Dr. Panda with Dr. Asian Heart Institute.
53:42They gave an insurance gift for us in 2016.
53:51It is not just lack of insurance.
53:53Stuntmen face many roadblocks.
53:55One needs to pay almost 4 lakh rupees to the stunt association to get a fighter card.
54:00And people who evolve to become a master need to pay almost 7 lakh rupees for the card.
54:06Without these cards, no one is allowed to work on the sets.
54:10And despite such huge fee, no insurance or security cover is provided by the association.
54:18As for the pay scale, the junior stuntmen get almost 5,800 rupees per day, while a body double
54:25gets 14,000 rupees and an assistant around 8,500 rupees.
54:31Fact remains, many stuntmen are unable to afford health insurance premiums.
54:37Artists are urging the government to step in, provide means for proper training and ensure
54:42safety measures to avoid any mishap while filming.
54:45Bureau Report, India Today.
54:51Good to know that Akshay Kumar is helping stuntmen.
54:53After all, they are the real stars, many would say, of cinema in this country and indeed around
55:00the world.
55:01That's just about it.
55:02I wrap up the news today, but as always, stay well, stay safe.
55:07Good night, Shubhra 3.
55:09Jaihin, Namaskar, Medeway, A better tomorrow.
55:13When it's in the morning, bye for now.