Allu Arjun starrer Pushpa 2’s release has become more than just a festival. A woman died during a stampede that erupted outside a Hyderabad theatre when Allu Arjun came unannounced for the premiere show of his film ‘Pushpa 2’. In the latest development, it seems that Allu Arjun will now be charged because of the stampede, the police said on Thursday.
The management of Sandhya Theatre will also be charged for not making any “additional provisions regarding security to manage the crowd”, an NDTV report said.
In a statement, the Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand said “there was no intimation from the side of theatre management or actors team that they will be visiting the theatre…”
The police also stated that there was no separate entry or exit for the actor and his team, even though the theatre management was aware of their arrival.
A case has been filed against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the management of Sandhya Cinema. The case was registered based on a complaint filed by the deceased’s family under sections 105 and 118(1) of the Indian Penal Code at Chikkadpally police station in Hyderabad.
What happened at the Hyderabad theatre on Wednesday?
A 35-year-old woman died and her nine-year-old son was hospitalised because of asphyxiation as a huge crowd gathered at the film theatre to catch a glimpse of Mr Arjun, who was present with music director Devi Sri Prasad for the screening on Wednesday evening.
As per the police, Mr. Arjun arrived at the theatre at 9:30 pm with his personal security. As hundreds of people thronged the premises to get a glimpse of him, his team started pushing the crowd, which only worsened the situation.
NDTV’s report quoted the statement as saying, “In this, one Revathi and her son felt suffocated… the police personnel pulled them out of the public… and performed CPR to her, son and immediately shifted to the nearby Durgabai Deshmukh Hospital. The doctor informed that she was dead and son was advised to be shifted to another hospital for better treatment,” the actor and his team entered the lower balcony area of the theatre.
The woman’s son, Teja is undergoing treatment and is in critical condition. The family has demanded accountability from the theatre management and also sought a response from the actor on the incident.