Two staff disable CCTV systems before match, police restore within minutes
Bengaluru
A major security scare was averted at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium ahead of the IPL clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans after nearly 240 CCTV cameras inside the venue were deliberately switched off hours before the match.
The incident occurred on Friday, with the game scheduled for 7:30 pm. According to police, the CCTV network was disrupted around 11:30 am, affecting surveillance coverage at entry gates, surrounding zones, and key spectator areas including the D Corporate stands. The sudden outage raised immediate security concerns given the scale of the event and expected crowd turnout.
Investigations revealed that two individuals, identified as Manjunath and Abdul Kalam, were responsible for disabling the system. Both were employees of IVS Digital Solutions, a subcontracted firm tasked with installing CCTV and cabling infrastructure at the stadium.
Police said the accused allegedly entered the premises using a deactivated access card and gained unauthorised entry into the CCTV server room. Once inside, they switched off the surveillance system. The disruption was quickly detected as the cameras were also being monitored from the police control room.
Officials immediately alerted Central Division Deputy Commissioner of Police Akshay, following which emergency measures were initiated. Police teams acted swiftly to restore the system, bringing all cameras back online within 20 minutes. By match time, full surveillance coverage had been reinstated, ensuring there was no compromise to public safety.
A case has been registered at Cubbon Park Police Station, and the accused have been detained for questioning. Preliminary inquiries suggest that the act may have been triggered by salary-related grievances, with reports indicating the staff were upset over unpaid wages.
Further investigation revealed that another employee, Srinivas, was also linked to complaints regarding pending payments. Police said all individuals involved are working professionals who had come to Bengaluru for employment.
Authorities have issued notices to the accused and are continuing their probe into the incident. Despite the alarming lapse, the swift police response ensured that the high-profile IPL match proceeded smoothly with full security arrangements in place.