Bengaluru, June 6: Police in Bengaluru have arrested Nikhil Sosale, the head of marketing and revenue for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Diageo India, in connection with the tragic stampede that took place outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4. The incident, which occurred during the team’s IPL 2025 victory celebrations, left 11 people dead and at least 64 injured.
Sosale was apprehended at the Bengaluru airport while attempting to fly to Mumbai. Alongside him, three employees of DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt. Ltd.—the firm tasked with organising the event—have also been detained. Identified as Kiran, Sumanth, and Sunil Mathew, the trio is currently being questioned by police at Cubbon Park Police Station.
Authorities have named RCB, the event management company, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) in the First Information Report (FIR). Meanwhile, the KSCA secretary and treasurer are reportedly absconding. Police teams who visited their residences found them missing.
According to sources, RCB had not coordinated with the police prior to announcing the victory parade on social media—a post that quickly gained traction with over a million views. Permission for the event was sought later, but by then, the police had already declined the request.
The Karnataka government has taken disciplinary action following the tragedy, suspending several senior police officials, including Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda, over lapses in planning and crowd control.
The incident has triggered a political storm, with the opposition BJP accusing the state government of gross negligence. They have called for the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. Reports allege that Shivakumar remained at the stadium, taking photos with the RCB team, even after learning about the fatal stampede outside.
