Stampede at Pushpa 2 premiere: Hyderabad police arrest theatre owner, two employees

Hyderabad: Three individuals associated with a local theatre were arrested on Sunday in connection with the death of a 35-year-old woman during the premiere of Allu Arjun's film 'Pushpa 2: The Rule'. The incident, which occurred on the night of December 4, also left her eight-year-old son hospitalised due to asphyxiation caused by overcrowding, reported PTI.

According to police, a large number of fans had gathered at the Sandhya Theatre to catch a glimpse of Allu Arjun and watch the film. The deceased woman’s family lodged a complaint, leading to the registration of a case against the actor, his security team, and the theatre management under sections 105 and 118(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station.

The three arrested individuals include one of the theatre’s owners, the senior manager, and the lower balcony in-charge. A release from Hyderabad Police stated that the theatre management failed to make adequate security arrangements despite knowing about the actor's visit. Additionally, no separate entry or exit was arranged for the actor and his team.

Around 9:30 pm on December 4, Allu Arjun arrived at the venue with his personal security team. The crowd surged toward the theatre entrance, and his security began pushing people back, worsening the already chaotic situation. Taking advantage of the commotion, a large number of fans entered the lower balcony area.

In the chaos, Revathi and her son struggled to breathe due to overcrowding. On-duty police officers pulled them out of the crowd and administered CPR to the boy before rushing them to a hospital. Tragically, Revathi was declared dead on arrival, while her son is currently undergoing treatment at a super-speciality hospital.

Authorities have highlighted negligence on the part of the theatre management and the actor’s team, which failed to manage the crowd responsibly, resulting in the tragedy.