Actor Allu Arjun and Theatre Management Charged After Woman Dies in Stampede
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Hyderabad, Dec 5 (NationPress) On Thursday, the police in Hyderabad initiated legal action against actor Allu Arjun, his security detail, and the management of Sandhya 70mm Theatre concerning the death of a woman in a stampede at the premiere screening of ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ that took place on Wednesday evening.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone), Akshansh Yadav, revealed that a case has been filed following a complaint from the husband of the deceased woman.
Allu Arjun, along with his security personnel and the theatre management, faces charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The Chikkadpally Police Station has documented the case under sections 105 (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 118(1) (Voluntarily causing hurt) in conjunction with 3(5) BNS.
The DCP informed reporters that there was no prior notification from either the theatre management or the actor’s entourage about their attendance. Furthermore, the theatre failed to implement any additional safety measures to control the crowd.
He stated that the investigation is ongoing, and strict legal action will be enforced against those responsible for the disorderly circumstances within the theatre that resulted in a fatality and injuries to others.
Describing the event in detail, the DCP noted that the premiere of ‘Pushpa 2’ was slated for 9:40 p.m. at the Sandhya 70mm theatre located on Chikkadpally RTC X Road, drawing a massive crowd eager to see the film and catch a glimpse of its leading stars.
“Nevertheless, there was no advance notice from the theatre management or the actor’s team regarding their appearance at the venue. The theatre did not arrange for extra security measures to handle the crowd, nor did they provide a separate entry or exit for the actors' team, despite being aware of their arrival,” the police official explained.
“At approximately 9:30 p.m., actor Allu Arjun arrived at the Sandhya theatre accompanied by his personal security, prompting the gathered crowd to surge forward to enter the theatre alongside him. This led to his security team pushing against the crowd, exacerbating an already tense situation as the venue was overcrowded. In the chaos, a significant number of individuals forced their way into the lower balcony area with the actor and his team,” he elaborated.
According to police reports, a woman named Revathi (35) and her son Sri Tej (13) suffered from suffocation due to the overwhelming crowd. Fortunately, on-duty police officers managed to extract them from the crowd in the lower balcony, administered CPR to her son, and promptly transferred them to the nearby Durgabai Deshmukh Hospital. The attending physician at Durgabai Deshmukh Hospital confirmed that the woman had passed away, while her son was referred to another facility for more comprehensive treatment.
