Related
- Nikhil Sosale, RCB exec and Virat Kohli's 'friend', arrested by Karnataka Police in Bengaluru stampede case
- 'Bengaluru Police denied permission, yet...': Senior journalist's video criticising RCB for hosting fan event goes viral
A stampede outside Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL 2025 victory celebrations left at least 11 people dead and around 50 injured on Wednesday. The incident took place during a bus parade organised hours after RCB won its first IPL title against Punjab Kings. Following the tragedy, police arrested four people, including RCB’s head of marketing and revenue, Nikhil Sosale.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Sosale was born on August 18, 1986. He holds a double major degree from James Cook University in Queensland, Australia. With 13 years at Diageo, Sosale has been closely involved with RCB’s brand, partnerships, and strategy.
He has previously served as head of business partnerships and is often seen in RCB’s VIP boxes during matches. Sosale is also followed by former RCB captain Virat Kohli on Instagram.
Police believe Sosale had a role in planning the team’s celebration parade and coordinating logistics, including communication between players and franchise officials. Despite the incident, RCB continued celebrations inside the stadium, which were later cut short. The team released an official statement acknowledging the deaths several hours later.
On Thursday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had directed police to act after a First Information Report was filed with charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Who is Nikhil Sosale?
Nikhil Sosale is the marketing and revenue head of RCB. He has been in this role for nearly two years and is an employee of Diageo India, which owns United Spirits Limited (USL), the holding company of the franchise.According to his LinkedIn profile, Sosale was born on August 18, 1986. He holds a double major degree from James Cook University in Queensland, Australia. With 13 years at Diageo, Sosale has been closely involved with RCB’s brand, partnerships, and strategy.
He has previously served as head of business partnerships and is often seen in RCB’s VIP boxes during matches. Sosale is also followed by former RCB captain Virat Kohli on Instagram.
Police believe Sosale had a role in planning the team’s celebration parade and coordinating logistics, including communication between players and franchise officials. Despite the incident, RCB continued celebrations inside the stadium, which were later cut short. The team released an official statement acknowledging the deaths several hours later.
Event turns tragic outside stadium
The stampede occurred during a public celebration held to mark RCB’s maiden IPL title. The bus parade, organised outside the stadium, drew thousands of fans. As the crowd surged, chaos broke out, leading to multiple casualties.Police action and arrests
Sosale was arrested from Kempegowda International Airport early Friday morning as he was reportedly heading to Mumbai. Three members of the event management firm DNA Entertainment Private Limited were also detained.On Thursday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had directed police to act after a First Information Report was filed with charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
