Bengaluru stampede: RCB Marketing Head Nikhil Sosale arrested: Reports 

In the wake of a devastating stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives and left over 60 injured, authorities have begun a sweeping crackdown. On Friday, Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) Head of Marketing and Revenue, Nikhil Sosale, was arrested at Bengaluru airport while attempting to fly to Mumbai, according to news reports.

The incident, which unfolded on June 4 during a victory celebration hosted by RCB, has triggered a storm of public outrage and led to high-level administrative action. Sosale, who leads RCB’s marketing operations for Diageo India, is known for his previous role at United Breweries and for his close associations with high-profile celebrities, including Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma.

FIR was registered on Thursday at the Cubbon Park Police Station, where RCB, DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt. Ltd., the event organisers, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) were named as accused. The FIR includes charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), such as Section 115: Voluntarily causing hurt, Section 118: Causing hurt using dangerous means, Section 121: Deterring a public servant from duty and Section 190: Unlawful assembly. Police also detained three staff members of DNA Entertainment Networks for questioning, while key officials of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), including its secretary and treasurer, have reportedly gone into hiding and remain untraceable.

Following the incident, the Karnataka government took swift disciplinary action, suspending Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and four other senior officers for their failure to manage the crowd effectively. 

According to police, RCB did not coordinate with authorities before announcing the victory parade. A tweet promoting the event went viral and garnered over a million views, prompting RCB to seek formal permission retroactively. However, police denied the request, citing safety concerns. Despite this, the event proceeded, drawing an uncontrollable crowd and resulting in a deadly stampede.

Facing intense criticism, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also announced the formation of a one-man judicial commission to investigate the tragedy. Headed by retired Karnataka High Court judge Justice Michael D’Cunha, the commission is expected to submit its report within 30 days. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara also stated that the state would formulate a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for large public gatherings to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Meanwhile, in response to the tragedy, RCB issued a public statement on Thursday announcing the launch of a relief initiative titled RCB Cares. The franchise has committed financial support to the families of all 11 deceased victims and pledged assistance to 33 of the injured.