BENGALURU — Four people, including the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
Marketing Head and DNA Event Management Company staffers, were arrested on
Friday in connection with the stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium in
Bengaluru that claimed 11 lives.
Nikhil Sosale, Head of Marketing for RCB, along with
Sunil Matthew, Kiran, and Sumanth from DNA Event Management, have been
arrested, according to the police.
Police said the accused have been arrested in a joint
operation at the Bengaluru International Airport.
The police have also raided the residences of Karnataka
State Cricket Association (KSCA) Secretary Shankar and KSCA Treasurer Jayaram.
The personnel of the Cubbon Park police, who have
registered the case in this regard and the special wing of the Central Crime
Branch (CCB) conducted the joint operation.
The arrested individuals were on their way to Mumbai. All
four accused have been brought to the Cubbon Park Police Station, where they
were being interrogated by Seshadripuram Assistant Commissioner of Police
(ACP).
Even after the permission for the victory parade was not
given, Sosle posted a message on social media about the victory parade and
later deleted it, the police said.
He also announced that free tickets are available at the
Stadium for the victory celebration event.
He allegedly further announced that the tickets would be
available at Gate numbers 9 and 10 at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, and did not make
arrangements to distribute the tickets.
The post was also made on the Royal Challengers' official
handle that the entry will be given at 3 p.m. This post has led to the
gathering of lakhs of people, police said.
The DNA Company has acted as per the directions of Sosle.
Among the total 21 gates, only three gates were opened, creating chaos.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday
announced the suspension of five senior police officers, including the
Bengaluru Police Commissioner and DCP (Central Division), in connection with
the stampede incident on June 4.
"Such an incident has not occurred since I became an
MLA, minister, Dy CM, and Chief Minister. This incident has deeply saddened
us," he stated.
The Karnataka Police in the FIR claimed that the accused
parties -- RCB franchise, DNA event management firm, and the Karnataka State
Cricket Association (KSCA) Administrative Committee -- organised the victory
celebration without the necessary permissions.
The FIR has been registered under Sections 105 (culpable
homicide not amounting to murder), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 118(1)
(voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by using dangerous weapons or
means), 118(2) read with Section 3(5) (voluntarily causing grievous hurt, when
the act is done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 190
(unlawful assembly), 132 (criminal force to deter a public servant), 125(a)
(filing false affidavit), and 125(b) (rash and negligent acts that endanger
human life) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
