 "Who is Nikhil Sosale, RCB marketing head arrested in Bengaluru stampede case?")
At least 11 people died and 47 others were injured in a stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.
The incident took place when a large crowd gathered for a bus parade that was organised just hours after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Tuesday’s IPL final.
On Thursday, Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah said senior police officials, including City Police Commissioner B Dayananda, had been suspended.
ALSO READ | Crowd frenzy, small entry: What caused the Bengaluru stampede that killed 11 people?
Now, Nikhil Sosale , who heads marketing and revenue at RCB, has been arrested in connection with the incident.
But who is Nikhil Sosale? Why has he been taken into custody? We break down what has happened so far and the latest developments in the case in this explainer.
Let’s take a look:
Who is Nikhil Sosale?
He is a marketing and revenue professional with more than 15 years of experience in the sports and beverage sectors, according to his LinkedIn profile.
As per the details on his profile, Sosale has served as the Head of Marketing and Revenue for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) since September 2023. He holds this role under Diageo India, which runs United Spirits Limited (USL), the company that owns RCB.
Based in Bengaluru, Sosale has been with Diageo for over thirteen years and is said to have worked closely with the RCB franchise throughout his time at the company.
RCB Marketing Head Nikhil Sosale arrested feom Bengaluru airport in Chinnaswamy stampede case!! pic.twitter.com/t45uoBk5T2
— NightSpecter (@NightSpecter0) June 6, 2025
Impact Shorts
More ShortsRCB is one of the most followed teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and Sosale leads the design and brand strategy for the team, according to his profile. Before this, he was also the Head of Business Partnerships at RCB.
Sosale has a double major in Business from James Cook University in Queensland, Australia, where he studied from 2008 to 2010.
On Thursday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed the DGP and IGP to arrest representatives of RCB, DNA event managers, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) in connection with the stampede.
Reports state that Sosale was seen at every RCB match during the IPL 2025 season and was occasionally spotted in the stands with Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli’s wife.
The man whom Bengaluru Police has arrested in the Chinnaswamy Stadium Stampede, Nikhil Sosale, marketing and revenue head of the RCB, Diageo India is closely associated with Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma 🤨
— Sachiin Ramdas Suryavanshi (@sachiinv7) June 6, 2025
Big Trouble For Virat Kohli Coming ? pic.twitter.com/5SY5p079G9
His Instagram account is private and has 637 followers. Both Virat and Anushka follow him on the platform.
He is married to Malvika Nayak, who leads the business development and partnerships team at Innoz Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Why was he arrested? Did he have a role in the stampede?
His arrest is linked to his reported involvement in the planning and promotion of the RCB victory parade, which ended in a deadly stampede.
Sosale, who has been handling RCB’s marketing and business strategy for years, is believed to have played a role in organising the parade to celebrate the team’s first-ever IPL title win.
According to the police, the event was promoted on social media despite being denied permission by city authorities.
Sosale allegedly went ahead with the publicity despite not having clearance, and the promotional post remained online for a long time. It also included information about free ticket distribution.
As per a News18 report, Sosale said that tickets would be handed out at stadium Gate Nos. 9 and 10 from 1 pm on Wednesday. The official RCB handle also announced that entry would start at 3 pm, which reportedly led to a huge crowd gathering at the venue.
Police estimate that around three lakh people assembled near the stadium, far exceeding its capacity and the available security arrangements.
It is also alleged that the DNA Event Management team acted on Sosale’s directions. Out of twenty-one gates at the venue, only three were opened, which caused severe overcrowding and contributed to the stampede.
The tragedy took place outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday, as a massive crowd rushed in for the celebration.
Latest developments in Bengaluru stampede case
An FIR has been registered in connection with the stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, naming Royal Challengers Bengaluru as the prime accused.
Co-organisers DNA Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. and the Karnataka State Cricket Association have been listed as the second and third accused, respectively.
According to a report by India Today, the FIR accuses the organisers of failing to set up proper barricades or crowd-control measures both inside and outside the stadium, which reportedly led to crowd surges at several gates and ultimately caused the stampede.
The complaint was filed by Cubbon Park Police Station inspector Girish AK, who registered the report at 11:15 a.m. on June 5. He said that the organisers violated public safety norms, which resulted in serious consequences.
The FIR blames RCB, KSCA, and DNA Entertainment for ignoring police advice to delay the event and allow more time for preparations.
“KSCA, along with DNA and the RCB franchise, did not agree to the suggestion and insisted on going ahead with the evening celebration on 04.06.2025,” it added.
The Karnataka government has also taken action. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said a one-person commission led by retired High Court judge Justice Michael D’Cunha has been appointed to investigate the matter.
A magisterial inquiry has been launched, and the case has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Meanwhile, RCB has announced financial aid of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of the eleven people who died in the stampede.
The police case includes five sections under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 105, which deals with culpable homicide.
With inputs from agencies
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