Outlook Business Desk
On June 4, thousands of fans gathered outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to celebrate Royal Challengers Bangalore’s maiden IPL title. The victory parade was filled with joy and excitement as supporters cheered their champions.
During the victory parade outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, a sudden surge in the crowd led to a stampede. The chaos resulted in 11 people losing their lives, turning the joyous celebration into a heartbreaking tragedy.
Bengaluru police arrested RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosale today at Kempegowda Airport as he attempted to fly to Mumbai, just days after this incident.
Nikhil Sosale, RCB’s Marketing and Revenue Head, has been with the franchise for nearly two years. An employee of Diageo India, he has 13 years of experience at the company. Born on August 18, 1986, Sosale holds a double major from James Cook University and leads RCB’s brand and partnerships strategy.
Police have also detained DNA Entertainment staffers Kiran, Sumanth, and Sunil Mathew, all named in the FIR filed at Cubbon Park Police Station. Meanwhile, KSCA Secretary Shankar and Treasurer Jayaram remain absconding.
In a strong move, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Thursday suspended senior Bengaluru police officials, including the city’s Police Commissioner, with immediate effect. The action follows mounting criticism over the deadly stampede that killed 11 during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations.
"Cubbon Park Police Station Police Inspector, Station House Master, Station House Officer, ACP, Central Division DCP, Cricket Stadium in-charge, Additional Commissioner of Police, Commissioner of Police have been suspended with immediate effect," Siddaramaiah CM said.
An FIR was filed against the arrested individuals and investigations are ongoing to determine the exact causes and accountability.
The tragedy sparked widespread public outrage, with calls for stringent action against those responsible for the mishandling of the event.