A stampede that took place during the audio release function of NTR Jr’s latest flick, ‘Baadshah’, left a 27-year-old fan dead and three others hospitalised here Sunday. The incident took place at Ramanaidu studios at Nanakramguda.
Raidurgam inspector A Balakoti said around 7 pm, when the audience was trying to enter the hall, the stampede took place. Raju (27), a native of Urusugutta village of Warangal district, died on the spot due to suffocation and three others collapsed.
None of the other people who had come for the function paid any attention to them. After 20 minutes when the crowd thinned, cops noticed the four persons lying unconscious on the ground.
Raju had died on the spot and his body was shifted to Kondapur government hospital for post-mortem. The three injured were rushed to a nearby private hospital and their condition is said to be stable.
Baadshah starring Jr NTR and Kajal is directed by Srinu Vaitla and is scheduled to be released on April 5.
“Even before Jr NTR and others arrived at the venue, a large number of people gathered there. Though the event organisers had obtained police permission, they failed to control the crowd,” the inspector said.
Madhapur deputy commissioner of police T Yoganand told Express that they would register cases against the event organisers and the film unit members for failing to comply with the police directions. The Madhapur police would register a case under section 304 (A) (Causing death by negligence) of the IPC.
“While giving the permission, the police directed the organisers to take care in setting up parking lots and issuing entry passes besides arranging adequate private security personnel to control the crowd. But the organisers failed to implement the directions of the police,” the DCP said.
Meanwhile, film producer Bandla Ganesh and Jr NTR announced `5 lakh compensation to the family of the deceased. Earlier, the film unit had postponed the event as the Cyberabad police denied permission for security reasons.