In a significant development following the tragic stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the city police have arrested RCB’s marketing head, Nikhil Sosale. Sosale, who leads marketing and revenue at Diageo India for the franchise, was apprehended at the Bengaluru airport while he was reportedly en route to Mumbai.
The arrest comes amid a wider crackdown as authorities intensify their investigation into the chaos that unfolded during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2025 victory celebration, which claimed 11 lives and injured over 60. Alongside Sosale, three staff members from DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt. Ltd.—the agency responsible for managing the event—have also been detained.
The individuals, identified as Kiran, Sumanth, and Sunil Mathew, are currently being questioned at the Cubbon Park Police Station, where the FIR was filed naming RCB, DNA Entertainment, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) as key accused parties.
ALSO READ: “It is always difficult to replace someone like Bumrah” – Gautam Gambhir
Further complicating the situation, KSCA’s secretary and treasurer are reportedly absconding, with police visits to their residences yielding no results.
FIR against RCB management and arrest of RCB marketing media head Nikhil Sosale and other officials is blatant abuse of power
The Shameless Congress govt is hiding their failure and punishing innocents for their own incompetency.
RCB announced compensation to the deceased… pic.twitter.com/C8cssGwVHX
— Hindutva Knight (@HPhobiaWatch) June 6, 2025
According to police sources, RCB’s decision to post details about the parade on social media prior to securing official approval led to widespread chaos. Their now-viral post reportedly garnered over a million views before they even approached authorities for permission—which was ultimately denied.
In response to mounting criticism, the Karnataka government has taken disciplinary action, suspending several top police officials, including Bengaluru City Commissioner B Dayananda, citing serious lapses in crowd management.
ALSO READ: “Lives of the people are far more important” – Gautam Gambhir reacts to Bengaluru stampede incident
The tragedy has sparked political outrage, with the opposition BJP demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar. Shockingly, reports allege that Shivakumar continued to attend the felicitation ceremony and posed for photos with RCB players even after being informed of the disaster unfolding outside.
