Woman dies in stampede at Sandhya Theatre during Pushpa-2 premiere; case registered against management

Reports suggest the situation escalated when Allu Arjun arrived to watch the film, with fans rushing to catch a glimpse of the star.
Death of a woman during a stampede outside the theatre on Wednesday night.
Death of a woman during a stampede outside the theatre on Wednesday night.(Photo | X)
Updated on
2 min read

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad police have registered a criminal case against Sandhya Theatre and its management following a tragic incident on Wednesday night during the premiere of the Allu Arjun starrer Pushpa-2. A woman lost her life, and her young son was critically injured in a stampede outside the theatre.

The case has been filed under IPC Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), now corresponding to BNS 105 and 118, respectively.

A senior officer from Chikkadpally police station stated: “The Sandhya Theatre management failed to ensure proper measures for crowd management as well as to control the crowd, which amounts to negligence. We have registered a case, and strict action will be taken against all those responsible. The theatre will also be sealed as part of the procedure.”

The deceased has been identified as Revathi (35), while her eight-year-old son, Sriteja, was injured and remains in critical condition. He is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Begumpet.

Speaking to reporters, Revathi’s husband Bhaskar explained 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 a scuffle. When the police performed CPR, my son regained consciousness. They immediately took him to the hospital.”

The incident reportedly escalated when actor Allu Arjun arrived at the theatre. A large crowd, which had gathered to purchase tickets for the premiere, rushed forward to catch a glimpse of the star. Despite the presence of police and security personnel, the situation spiralled out of control.

Protests erupted outside Sandhya Theatre on Thursday, with demonstrators demanding stern action against the management and ex-gratia for the affected family. Protestors have also called for a ban on midnight premiere shows to prevent similar incidents in future.

Revathi’s relatives have appealed for immediate support from the Telugu film industry, demanding accountability.

Meanwhile, Allu Arjun’s team released a statement expressing sorrow 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.”

This incident has highlighted significant lapses in crowd control and safety measures at high-profile events, with many questioning the responsibility of organisers in preventing such mishaps.

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