Police booked two men for disabling over 240 CCTV cameras at M Chinnaswamy Stadium before an IPL match on April 24. The act compromised security during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru versus Gujarat Titans fixture. Investigators suspect a payment dispute as the motive.
Police booked two men on Saturday for allegedly disabling more than 240 CCTV cameras at M Chinnaswamy Stadium ahead of an IPL match on April 24. The sabotage damaged Network Video Recorders and fibre-optic links, creating a surveillance gap at entry gates, concourses, corporate areas, and perimeter zones. The disruption occurred before the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans game, one of the venue's busiest fixtures.
The accused, Manjunath E (37) from Chitradurga district and Abrar (19) from Uttar Pradesh, worked for a sub-contractor linked to IVS Digital Solutions, which manages parts of the stadium's digital infrastructure. A representative of Gurugram-based Staqu Technologies Pvt. Ltd, responsible for AI-driven monitoring on match days, filed the complaint at Cubbon Park Police Station, citing video evidence of the suspects in server rooms and connection hubs.
The First Information Report states the pair intentionally mishandled NVRs and fibre connections, damaged installation setups, and gained unauthorised access to restricted areas. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central division) Akshay M Hakay said the disruption was addressed within an hour.
Preliminary findings point to a motive tied to pending payments and a personal grudge against the company. "These two employees had some personal grudge about the company. Maybe they had not received their payment, so they committed the act," Hakay added. Both have been identified, with further action pending.