Security Breach at M Chinnaswamy Stadium: Two Arrested for Sabotaging 240 CCTV Cameras During IPL Match
Bangalore police have arrested two individuals for intentionally damaging the CCTV surveillance network at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during a high-profile Indian Premier League (IPL) match. The internal sabotage temporarily disabled live security feeds, rendering hundreds of cameras non-functional while Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans competed on the field.
Surveillance Vandalism Triggered by Payment Dispute
The disruption affected more than 240 cameras across key security zones of the stadium. According to the Cubbon Park police, the suspects infiltrated the CCTV control room without authorized access passes and severed fiber-optic connections linked to the Network Video Recorder (NVR) systems.
Authorities identified the suspects as Manjunath (37) from Chitradurga and Abdul Kalam (19) from Uttar Pradesh. Both men were employed by a sub-vendor operating under IVS Digital Solutions, a contractor responsible for match-day digital services.
- System Damage: Destruction of NVR servers and primary fiber-optic cables.
- Security Impact: Complete loss of live surveillance feeds for stadium police personnel.
- Suspect Motive: Retaliation for alleged unpaid wages amounting to Rs 10 lakh.
During police interrogation, the suspects admitted to the vandalism, citing the unpaid financial dues as their primary motivation for disrupting the match-day security infrastructure.
Official Complaint and Investigation Details
Aditya Bhat, a representative of Staqu Technologies Pvt Ltd—the Gurugram-based company tasked with providing AI-enabled surveillance at the venue—registered the official police complaint. Investigative footage recovered from unaffected backup cameras placed both men in the restricted control room moments before the network failed.
Incident Fact Sheet
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| Event | IPL Match (RCB vs. GT) |
| Hardware Affected | 240+ CCTV Cameras, NVR systems, fiber links |
| Accused Individuals | Manjunath (37), Abdul Kalam (19) |
| Jurisdiction | Cubbon Park Police Station |
Despite the severe security blackout, the match proceeded without physical threats to the players or spectators, with RCB successfully completing a high-scoring run chase against the Gujarat Titans. However, the breach exposes immediate vulnerabilities in contractor management and stadium access controls. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the official IPL administration mandate strict security protocols for all venues. Internal contractor disputes resulting in infrastructure damage represent a significant operational failure, highlighting the need for stricter vendor vetting processes aligned with international sporting standards reported by ESPN Cricinfo.