HYDERABAD: A day after a woman was crushed to death during the premiere of the movie Pushpa-2: The Rule, the Chikkadpally police on Thursday registered a criminal case against the film’s star Allu Arjun, his security team and the management of Sandhya Theatre on the complaint of the victim’s husband.
The case was registered under BNS Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 118(1) r/w 3(5)(voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means).
DCP, Central Zone, Akshansh Yadav told reporters that while the police had made arrangements, the theatre management too was required to deploy extra personnel to manage the crowd.
"Around 9.30 pm, when people were waiting for the show to begin, the actor (Allu Arjun) arrived and his security team started pushing people, which created confusion among the public. Taking advantage of the situation, a large number of people entered the lower balcony area along with the actor and his security team. This led to suffocation and chaos," Yadav explained.
Meanwhile, the movie was still being screened at the theatre on Friday. "As the shows were previously booked, we have allowed the theatre to continue exhibiting the movie. However, we may seal it if required as part of the investigation," a senior police officer told TNIE.
Protests erupted outside Sandhya Theatre on Thursday, with protesters demanding stern action against the management and ex-gratia for the family of M Revathi who was crushed to death by the milling crowd at the theatre.
The theatre is considered one of the landmarks of Hyderabad where stars go for releases.
The protesters also demanded a ban on midnight premiere shows to prevent similar incidents.
Revathi, 35, was rushed to Durgabai Deshmukh Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries while her 13-year-old son, Sri Teja, remains critical at a private hospital in Secunderabad.
"A CT scan of the brain and spine was performed, revealing no significant abnormalities. Although lactic acidosis has improved, the child's sensorium remains impaired. The condition is still critical, and the patient is currently under intensive care with continuous monitoring as the medical team works to stabilise him. The child's critical condition is believed to be a result of prolonged unresponsiveness, likely causing severe hypoxia and potential lung injury from aspiration or contusions. Prompt CPR provided by bystanders and the police was instrumental in reviving the child, enabling further medical intervention," a statement from the hospital said on Thursday.
Revathi's husband Bhaskar explained to reporters how the tragedy unfolded: "Our son Sri Teja is an Allu Arjun fan, and we came to the cinema for him. Everyone calls our son Pushpa. Fans were in usual numbers earlier, but when Allu Arjun arrived, there was chaos. When the police performed CPR, my son regained consciousness. They rushed him to the hospital."
Revathi's relatives have appealed for support from the Telugu film industry, demanding accountability.
Meanwhile, Allu Arjun's team released a statement expressing grief over the tragedy: "The incident that happened at Sandhya Theatre last night is really unfortunate. The boy is currently undergoing treatment in the hospital. Our team will provide the necessary help to the family."