A tragic stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)’s IPL 2025 victory celebrations on June 4 claimed 11 lives and injured 33, leading to the arrest of RCB’s marketing head, Nikhil Sosale, and DNA Entertainment’s Sunil Mathew on Friday. Sosale, detained at Bengaluru airport while attempting to fly to Mumbai, has been with RCB since its early years, leading marketing and revenue strategies at Diageo India. Three other DNA staff members, Kiran, Sumanth, and Sunil Mathew, were also detained. The Karnataka government suspended top police officials, including Commissioner B Dayananda, and launched a judicial inquiry led by Justice Michael D’Cunha.

Despite police denying permission for the parade, RCB’s social media post announcing it fueled massive crowds, sparking chaos. RCB faced criticism for continuing celebrations amid the tragedy but announced financial aid through the RCB Cares fund for victims’ families.