RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosale arrested over Bengaluru stampede tragedy

In a major development following the tragic stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) victory celebrations on June 4, the Bengaluru police on Friday arrested Nikhil Sosale, the marketing head and revenue of RCB from Diageo India. The stampede, which occurred outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, claimed 11 lives and left 64 others injured.

Sosale, who according to his LinkedIn profile leads the design, strategy, and business delivery for RCB's marketing program, was arrested after mounting pressure from the Karnataka government. He also worked at United Breweries overlooking its sports marketing business. His close social connections to celebrities such as Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma—both of whom follow his private Instagram account—have also drawn public attention.

The arrest follows Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s directive on Thursday to take stringent action against RCB, the event organiser DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt. Ltd., and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The FIR, registered by a police inspector at the Cubbon Park station, invoked serious charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita under sections 115 (Voluntarily causing hurt), 118 (Causing hurt or grievous hurt using dangerous means),121(Deterring a public servant from duty), 190 (Unlawful assembly)

Police also detained three staff members of DNA Entertainment Networks for questioning. Meanwhile, key KSCA officials, including its secretary and treasurer, are reported to be absconding.

Bengaluru police claimed that RCB’s management had not coordinated with the police prior to announcing their victory parade on social media. Their tweet—promoting the celebration—went viral, garnering over a million views. It was only after the post gained traction that RCB approached the police for formal permission, which was denied due to crowd safety concerns. Despite the refusal, the event drew a massive crowd, overwhelming arrangements and resulting in chaos.

In the wake of the incident, the Karnataka government suspended top police officials, including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, citing serious lapses in crowd management and public safety. The administration’s handling of the incident has come under severe criticism, with opposition leaders from the BJP calling for the resignation of both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar.

To probe the circumstances surrounding the stampede, the state government has constituted a one-man judicial commission led by retired Karnataka High Court judge Justice Michael D’Cunha. The commission has been asked to submit its findings within 30 days.

Meanwhile, RCB announced on Thursday that it would provide financial assistance to the families of all 11 victims and support 33 injured individuals through a newly established relief fund titled ‘RCB Cares.’