HYDERABAD: The Chikkadpally police filed a charge sheet naming actor Allu Arjun as Accused No. 11 (A11) and listing a total of 23 accused in connection with the stampede near Sandhya Theatre during the release of the film Pushpa 2 in December 2024.
The police stated that the incident occurred due to negligence on the part of the Sandhya Theatre management, which was named as Accused No. 1 (A1).
A woman was killed, and her son was seriously injured in the stampede that took place near the theatre during the film’s release on December 4. The charge sheet also named three managers and eight bouncers as accused.
The situation on the ground had reportedly spiralled out of control when 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, pandemonium broke out.
Protests had erupted outside Sandhya Theatre then, with demonstrators demanding stern action against the management and ex-gratia for the affected family. Protestors had also called for a ban on midnight premiere shows to prevent similar incidents in future.
Allu Arjun, who ended up spending a night in jail before getting bail, and the makers of Pushpa had announced a financial assistance of Rs 2 crore for the family of the woman who died in the stampede.
The actor had also visited nine-year-old Sri Tej, who was injured in the incident, at KIMS in Secunderabad on January 7, 2025.