Pramesh S Jain
A case was registered at the Cubbon Park Police Station following a complaint of alleged CCTV sabotage ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 24.
The complaint was lodged by Aditya Bhatt during the morning hours prior to the match. Based on the complaint,police registered a First Information Report (FIR) and initiated an investigation.
Preliminary findings revealed that the CCTV installation work at the stadium had been subcontracted by Staqu Technologies to IVS Digital Solutions.
Investigators found that due to pending payment issues, two contract workers engaged by IVS Digital Solutions allegedly intentionally cut CCTV camera wires in the server room,which was under the company’s custody.
Police said the issue was swiftly identified and rectified before the stadium gates were opened,ensuring that there was no disruption to surveillance,crowd management,or overall security arrangements.
Despite the incident,the high-profile IPL fixture was conducted smoothly without any untoward incidents.
Further investigation is ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the sabotage and fix accountability.
Senior officers told reporters that The suspects, identified as Manjunath and Abdul Kalam,allegedly damaged Network Video Recorder units and fibre connections, crippling surveillance across key zones.
He further said the disruption began around 11:30 am when the duo entered the stadium’s CCTV control room using a deactivated access card.
They reportedly disabled NVR units and severed fibre‑optic links,affecting feeds from entry gates, concourses,corporate stands, and perimeter areas.
The sabotage lasted nearly an hour before authorities restored the system at 12:30 pm,ensuring the match proceeded without incident.
Police findings suggest the act was motivated by unpaid dues of approximately Rs.10 lakh.The suspects admitted frustration with their employer,IVS Digital Solutions,and confessed to damaging the systems as retaliation.
Officials emphasised that disabling security infrastructure constitutes a criminal offense under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The breach prevented live CCTV feeds from reaching police units stationed at the venue, exposing vulnerabilities in stadium security protocols.
Experts warned that such lapses could be exploited, urging stricter vendor vetting, redundant systems,and real‑time monitoring.
Authorities assured that further investigation will determine accountability and strengthen safeguards for future matches.
The incident has prompted IPL franchises to review operational strategies, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru facing heightened scrutiny over home venue arrangements.
League officials may accelerate adoption of AI‑based surveillance redundancy and compliance checks to protect players and fans.
