India, June 7 -- A day after the suspension of top police officials in connection with the June 4 stampede at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Karnataka government on Friday dismissed MLC K Govindaraj from the post of Political Secretary to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The decision, though not officially linked to the incident, appears to be part of a broader damage control exercise by the government.

An official notification issued by the Chief Minister's Office said, "The appointment of K Govindaraj as Political Secretary to the Chief Minister is hereby revoked with immediate effect." Govindaraj, a key political aide to Siddaramaiah and a prominent figure in Karnataka's sports circles, was closely associated with the Royal Challe...