Indian Express reported Bengaluru marketing chief arrested
RCB's marketing chief, Nikhil Sosale, arrested for alleged role in Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede during IPL 2025 celebrations; 11 dead, 75 injured
Indian Express reported Bengaluru marketing chief arrested
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have arrested a top official of the team in connection with the tragic death at their IPL championship celebrations. The Bengaluru police chief has been suspended over the same incident, Indian media outlet Indian Express reported.
RCB won the IPL 2025 by defeating Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad on June 3. This is RCB's first title in 18 years of the IPL. The next day, when the team reached Bengaluru, a stampede occurred outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, killing 11 people and injuring many others.
According to Indian media reports, the Bengaluru police have arrested the franchise's marketing head Nikhil Sosale following the tragic incident surrounding RCB's celebrations. Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday dismissed Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayanand. Simant Kumar Singh has been appointed as the new commissioner.
Bengaluru Police filed an FIR on Thursday, saying that the police did not give permission to RCB to hold a victory procession near the Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4. The police claimed that their members were on duty till 5:30 am on June 4, so it was not possible to handle another large gathering during the day.
The police alleged that despite not having permission, RCB, DNA Entertainment (event partner) and Karnataka State Cricket Association jointly organised the procession. RCB even announced the procession on their social media and website on June 4 and invited people to enter the stadium free of cost. But the police or the general public were not informed about how these entry passes would be distributed, which became the main reason for the chaos.
The police have named RCB, DNA Entertainment and Karnataka State Cricket Association as the main accused in the FIR. Police said that despite repeated warnings and warnings of security risks, the organizers continued the event as they saw fit.
On Thursday evening, the Karnataka state government and RCB's parent company Diageo jointly announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased and to bear all the medical expenses of the injured.
However, no official statement has been received from RCB or the arrested official Nikhil Sosal so far.
