Who is Nikhil Sosale:
During the victory parade of the IPL 2025 champions, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), a tragic stampede occurred in Bengaluru, resulting in the loss of 11 lives. In connection to this event, police made their first arrest, bringing Nikhil Sosale, the head of RCB's marketing team, into custody.
Nikhil Sosale is accused of inadequate planning of the victory parade event, which led to the chaos. Along with him, three employees from the event company DNA were also detained. Authorities are deeply investigating the case to determine the cause of this unfortunate incident.
Source: aajtak
As Nikhil Sosale was apprehended at the airport, he was attempting to flee to Mumbai. The police swiftly captured him, and an interrogation is ongoing to assess his involvement and responsibility in the stampede and resultant disorder following RCB's triumph parade in Bengaluru, which took 11 human lives and injured numerous others.
Meet Nikhil Sosale
Nikhil Sosale, often spotted alongside actress Anushka Sharma during the IPL 2025 matches, became well-known for his presence in the stands. Whenever Anushka attended the matches, Nikhil was invariably seen accompanying her.
During the IPL finals, when the Bangalore team clinched the championship, Nikhil was again seen with Anushka Sharma on the field. Nikhil's Instagram followers include several sporting icons and celebrities like Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma, Sakshi Dhoni (wife of Mahendra Singh Dhoni), Yuzvendra Chahal, and more.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Nikhil was born on August 18, 1986. For the past two years, he has been serving as the Marketing and Revenue Head for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Sosale has been with Diageo India, which operates United Spirits Limited (USL) and owns RCB, for 13 years.
Previously owned by Vijay Mallya, RCB was taken over by USL after Mallya's departure from the country. Nikhil once held a position as the Business Partnership Head at RCB. He earned a dual major degree from James Cook University in Queensland, Australia. Known for his strategic influence in RCB's brand marketing, his role in planning the Bengaluru victory parade is believed to have been significant.
In a historic win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, RCB (Royal Challengers Bangalore) triumphed as champions for the first time, defeating Punjab Kings by 6 runs on June 3. The celebration was followed the very next day by a victory parade. Initially planned as an open-bus event, it witnessed tragedy when 11 people died, and many others suffered injuries. Subsequently, RCB's management, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) distanced themselves from the blame. On June 5, the High Court intervened, demanding a full report by June 10.
Source: aajtak
On June 5, FIR was filed at Cubbon Park Police Station against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), DNA Entertainment Networks, which was organizing the event, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and other unknown individuals for the incident that killed 11 people and injured many.
Source: aajtak
In response, CM Siddaramaiah considered police accountable for the Bengaluru stampede, resulting in the suspension of the police commissioner and several officers. Subsequently, IPS officer Seemant Kumar Singh was appointed as the new commissioner of Bengaluru. On June 5, RCB announced a donation of Rs. 10 lakh each to the families of the 11 supporters who perished in the chaos.
News surfaced on June 6 about the arrest of Nikhil Sosale, RCB's marketing head. This marked the first arrest made by the police concerning the stampede incident on June 4, ahead of RCB's victory parade in Bengaluru. Alongside Nikhil, three DNA staff members, Kiran, Sumanth, and Sunil Mathew, were also detained.
