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RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosale arrested at Bengaluru airport in connection with deadly IPL celebration stampede
Bengaluru Police apprehended Nikhil Sosale, marketing and revenue head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), on Friday morning. He was arrested in connection with the stampede that claimed 11 lives during the team’s celebrations over their IPL victory. The police officers picked up Sosale from Kempegowda International Airport as he was trying to catch a flight to Mumbai.
Event Manager Among Those Taken into Custody
Police also detained Sunil Mathew, senior executive of DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt Ltd, the event management company. Three other DNA employees have been held as the probe is expanded into the failures that caused the fatal stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, when more than eight lakh fans had gathered there.
FIR Filed Against RCB, KSCA, and DNA Entertainment
An FIR is reported against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, KSCA, and DNA Entertainment for negligence, breach of safety protocols, and culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Poor crowd control was another issue that has attracted severe criticism from the public and political leadership.
Top Police Brass Suspended Over Lapses
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has suspended Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and a few other top police officers for their inability to avert the tragedy. The state government has handed over the probe to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and appointed retired Justice Michael Cunha to head a judicial inquiry. The commission will have to submit its report within 30 days.
Who Is Nikhil Sosale
Sosale has been at the forefront of developing RCB’s brand while working under Diageo India, directing marketing campaigns and revenue plans during the 2025 IPL season.
Sosale is a graduate of James Cook University in Australia and is married to Malvika Nayak, who works in the business development department. The couple is said to have close relationships with RCB star player Virat Kohli and actress Anushka Sharma.
Public Anger Grows as Investigation Deepens
With arrests in progress and high-profile suspensions on the cards, the government is under increasing pressure to expedite its actions regarding one of the worst-ever stampedes in Bengaluru’s recent history.
The disaster has provoked public outcry against perceived mismanagement, haste, and lack of crowd control during what was to be a merry occasion.