Allu Arjun, theatre management booked for woman’s death in stampede

Hyderabad, Dec  (IANS) Hyderabad police on Thursday booked actor Allu Arjun, his security team and the management of Sandhya 70mm Theatre for the death of a woman in a stampede during the premier show of ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ on Wednesday night.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) Akshansh Yadav said that based on a complaint by the deceased woman’s husband, police have registered a case.

The theatre management, Allu Arjun and his security team have been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Chikkadpally Police Station registered the case under sections 105 (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 118(1) (Voluntarily causing hurt) r/w 3(5) BNS.

The DCP told media persons that there was no intimation from theatre management or the actor’s team that they would be visiting the theatre. The theatre management also did not make any additional provisions regarding security to manage the crowd.

He said the case was under investigation. “Stringent action as per law will be taken against all the persons responsible for the chaotic situation inside the theatre leading to the death of a person and injury to others,” he said.

Giving a detailed account of the incident, the DCP said ‘Pushpa 2’ premier show was scheduled at Sandhya 70mm theatre in Chikkadpally RTC X road at 9.40 p.m. and a huge crowd had gathered there to watch the movie as well as in anticipation of getting a glimpse of the movie’s lead actors coming to the theatre.

“However, there was no intimation from the side of theatre management or the actor’s team that they would be visiting the theatre. The theatre management did not make any additional provisions regarding security to manage the crowd. Nor there was any separate entry or exit for the actors’ team though the theatre management had information about their arrival,” the police official said.

“Around 9:30 pm, actor Allu Arjun came to Sandhya theatre with his personal security and all the people gathered there tried to enter the theatre with him. His personal security team started pushing the public which further aggravated the situation as there was already a huge gathering at the theatre. Taking advantage of this situation along with the actor and his security team large number of people entered inside the lower balcony area.”

According to police one Revathi (35) and her son Sri Tej (13) felt suffocated due to the large public influx and immediately the police personnel who were on duty pulled them out of the public from the lower balcony and performed CPR on her son and immediately shifted them to the nearby Durgabai Deshmukh Hospital. The doctor of Durgabai Deshmukh Hospital informed that she was dead and her son Sri Tej was advised to be shifted to another hospital for better treatment.