Bengaluru stampede update: Four arrested over Chinnaswamy Stadium incident; RCB official nabbed while trying to flee city
Bengaluru stampede update: Four persons have been arrested in connection with the tragic stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed 11 lives during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) historic IPL victory celebration.
Among those taken into custody is Nikhil Sosale, a senior marketing official for RCB, who was apprehended at Kempegowda International Airport around 6.30 am while attempting to fly to Mumbai. Sosale is responsible for overseeing RCB’s promotional campaigns and acts as the liaison between players and the franchise, including managing its social media outreach.
The other three arrested are officials from DNA Entertainment Private Limited, the company tasked with managing the event. They have been identified as Sunil Mathew, vice president overseeing IPL events, and team members Kiran and Sumanth.
These arrests follow the filing of an FIR under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those related to culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The arrests were made in a night-long operation led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Akshay and executed by the Central Crime Branch. The accused are expected to be handed over to the Crime Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation.
Meanwhile, two senior officials of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA)—secretary Shankar and treasurer Jayram—have gone missing, with the police confirming they were not found at their residences. A manhunt has been launched to locate them.
The stampede broke out on Wednesday evening when a massive crowd gathered outside the stadium to participate in the RCB victory event. The situation spiraled out of control, resulting in 11 deaths and over 60 injuries. Eyewitnesses and families of victims have blamed administrative lapses and overcrowding for the catastrophe.
Reacting swiftly, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered the arrest of representatives from RCB, DNA Entertainment, and KSCA. On Thursday, he also suspended Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and other senior officials. In a major reshuffle, senior IPS officer Seemanth Kumar Singh was appointed as the new Bengaluru Police Commissioner, effective immediately.
- With inputs from agencies
