Bengaluru Stampede Arrests: RCB Marketing Head, DNA Entertainment Staff Detained

In a major development following the tragic stampede outside Bengaluru's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday, June 4, the city police on Thursday night (June 5, 2025) arrested a senior Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) official and three employees from the event management company DNA Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

Who Has Been Arrested in the Bengaluru Stampede Case?

Nikhil Sosale, head of marketing and revenue for RCB at Diageo India Pvt. Ltd., was taken into custody at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) as he was reportedly trying to fly to Mumbai. Alongside Sosale, three staff members from DNA Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., the company responsible for managing the RCB IPL 2025 victory celebration, were also arrested. All four individuals are currently being interrogated at the Cubbon Park Police Station.

Senior event manager Kiran Kumar, Vice President of Business Affairs Sunil Mathew, and another employee, Sumanth, have reportedly been brought to Cubbon Park Police Station for questioning.

However, Rajesh Menon. Vice President and Head, RCB is missing as of now.

CM Siddaramaiah Orders High-Level Action

Earlier in the day, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a press conference where he announced the suspension of Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B. Dayananda for negligence. The Chief Minister also directed law enforcement authorities to arrest individuals from RCB and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) in connection with the deadly stampede.

The event, which drew an overwhelming crowd of fans after RCB's first-ever IPL championship win, turned into a nightmare as poor crowd control and mismanagement led to chaos, leaving 11 people dead and several others injured.

FIR Registered for Culpable Homicide

Cubbon Park Police had already filed a suo motu FIR on Wednesday night, booking RCB officials, KSCA members, and representatives of DNA Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. under serious charges including culpable homicide, illegal assembly, and criminal negligence.

The FIR has intensified the pressure on all parties involved in organizing the large-scale celebration without adequate crowd management or safety protocols.

Public Outcry and Ongoing Investigation

As public outrage mounts over the stampede deaths, questions are being raised about the lack of preparedness by authorities and the event organizers. The police investigation is ongoing, and more arrests may follow based on evidence and interrogation outcomes.

The tragedy has cast a shadow over RCB's historic IPL victory, which was being celebrated for the first time in 18 years since the franchise was established in 2008.