Allu Arjun summoned by Hyderabad court in Sandhya Theatre stampede case
Synopsis
Six months after the Sandhya Theatre stampede killed a woman during the Pushpa 2 premiere, a Hyderabad court has summoned Allu Arjun — listed as accused number 11 — to appear in person on 22 June. With 23 accused named and a chargesheet already filed, the case is now inching toward trial.
Key Takeaways
Hyderabad's Nampally Criminal Court issued summons to Allu Arjun on 19 June , directing him to appear on 22 June .
The actor is listed as accused number 11 (A11) in the Sandhya Theatre stampede case.
Victim M Revathi died in the stampede on 4 December 2024 during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule ; her son was critically injured.
Police have named 23 accused in total — theatre management, eight bouncers , and the actor; charges include culpable homicide not amounting to murder .
Summons have been issued to 19 of 23 accused ; the trial begins only after all accused appear before the judge.
Allu Arjun was arrested on 13 December 2024 , granted interim bail by the High Court the same day, and later received regular bail from the Nampally Court.
Tollywood actor Allu Arjun has been summoned by a Hyderabad city court in connection with the Sandhya Theatre stampede case, with the court directing him to appear in person on 22 June. The summons, issued on Friday, 19 June, mark a fresh legal development in a case that has cast a long shadow over the actor since the tragedy in December 2024.
The Stampede and What Happened
On 4 December 2024, Allu Arjun attended a special premiere screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad. The actor's arrival triggered a surge in the crowd, leading to a deadly stampede inside the venue. Victim M Revathi, who had attended the premiere with her husband and children, died in the crush. Her son sustained serious injuries and was hospitalised in critical condition.
Accused and Charges
Police have named a total of 23 accused in the case. Theatre management officials are listed as accused numbers 1 through 10, while eight bouncers from the actor's security team are also named. Allu Arjun is listed as accused number 11 (A11). All accused face charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The Nampally Criminal Court has so far issued summons to 19 of the 23 accused. The trial will formally commence only after all accused appear personally before the judge.
Allu Arjun's Arrest and Bail
Allu Arjun was arrested on 13 December 2024 and produced before the Nampally Court, which remanded him to 14-day judicial custody. His legal team moved the Hyderabad High Court, which granted him interim bail the same day. He was released from custody the following day. The Nampally Court subsequently granted him regular bail. As part of the investigation, police interrogated the actor on 24 December 2024 for approximately three hours at Chikkadpally Police Station, using a 10-minute CCTV compilation video prepared by investigators.
Status of the Case
Police filed a chargesheet against all 23 accused in December 2024. With the court now summoning the actor for a personal appearance on 22 June, the case moves closer to the trial stage. This is the latest in a series of legal proceedings that have followed the actor since the stampede claimed one life and left a child critically injured during what was meant to be a celebratory film premiere.
Point of View
But the deeper question is one of accountability in crowd management at high-profile celebrity events. The Sandhya Theatre tragedy exposed a systemic gap: no clear protocol governs who bears legal responsibility when a star's arrival triggers a fatal crowd surge — the venue, the security team, or the celebrity themselves. With culpable homicide charges on the table and a chargesheet already filed against 23 people, this trial could set a precedent for how Indian courts apportion liability in entertainment-event disasters. That is a conversation the film industry has been reluctant to have openly.
NationPress
4 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Allu Arjun been summoned by the Hyderabad court?
Allu Arjun has been summoned by the Nampally Criminal Court in Hyderabad to appear on 22 June in the Sandhya Theatre stampede case. He is listed as accused number 11 (A11) and faces charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the death of a woman during the Pushpa 2 premiere on 4 December 2024.
What happened at the Sandhya Theatre stampede?
On 4 December 2024, a stampede broke out at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad during the premiere screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule when Allu Arjun arrived at the venue. Victim M Revathi died in the crush, and her son was critically injured. Police attributed the incident to the unmanageable crowd surge triggered by the actor's arrival.
Who are the other accused in the Sandhya Theatre case?
Police have named 23 accused in total. Theatre management officials are listed as accused numbers 1 through 10, eight of the actor's bouncers are also named, and Allu Arjun is accused number 11. The Nampally Criminal Court has so far issued summons to 19 of the 23 accused.
Was Allu Arjun arrested in this case?
Yes. Allu Arjun was arrested on 13 December 2024 and remanded to 14-day judicial custody by the Nampally Court. The Hyderabad High Court granted him interim bail the same day, and he was released the following day. He was later granted regular bail by the Nampally Court.
When will the trial in the Sandhya Theatre stampede case begin?
The trial will formally begin only after all accused appear personally before the judge. With the court now summoning Allu Arjun for 22 June and summons issued to 19 of 23 accused, proceedings are moving closer to the trial stage. A chargesheet against all 23 accused was filed in December 2024.
