The Bengaluru Police on Friday took into custody Nikhil Sosale, marketing and revenue head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Diageo India, regarding the stampede that occurred outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium while RCB was celebrating their historic IPL 2025 title triumph with a victory parade.The police also took into custody Sunil Mathew, representative of the event management company DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt. Ltd.
Nikhil Sosale Detained at Airport When Traveling to MumbaiOfficials arrested Sosale on Friday morning at Bengaluru airport when he was reportedly trying to board a flight to Mumbai. Besides Sosale and Mathew’s arrest, three other employees of DNA Entertainment Networks have also been detained, reports India Today. Nikhil Sosale, a prominent figure in the RCB administration, played an active role with the team during the IPL 2025 tournament. He regularly attended matches and often sat beside Anushka Sharma, the wife of superstar cricketer Virat Kohli. A LinkedIn page associated with Sosale indicates that he heads the design, strategy, and marketing operations of the business initiatives of RCB. He has a Double Major in Business from James Cook University, which he acquired between 2008 and 2010. Sosale is a married man with Malvika Nayak, who is the business development and partnership head at Innoz Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma are reportedly close friends of the couple, and both follow Nikhil Sosale on his private Instagram account, which has 637 followers.
Stampede Kills 11 and Injures 33 Outside Victory VenueThe tragedy struck on Wednesday near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during RCB’s victory procession, which RCB announced on social media at 3 PM. The declaration was made despite the previous police refusal to grant permission for holding such an event. The procession route was from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium, which attracted huge crowds and ended in pandemonium. The stampede killed 11 and injured 33, causing mass outrage. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called for instant arrests of all those involved, including RCB representatives, DNA representatives, and representatives from the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The government has suspended a few top police officers, including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, over the tragedy. The government has appointed a judicial commission, headed by retired Karnataka High Court judge Justice Michael D’Cunha, to investigate the disaster. The commission has 30 days to submit its report.
RCB Under Fire for Celebrations During TragedyIn spite of the mayhem and fatalities outside the stadium, RCB proceeded with its celebrations of the win within the stadium, which attracted considerable public backlash. On Thursday, the franchise declared monetary aid to the victims. RCB pledged to pay compensation to the families of the 11 who had lost their lives and also initiated an ‘RCB Cares’ fund to assist the 33 injured.