Mumbai: The much-anticipated premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule starring Allu Arjun turned tragic when a 35-year-old woman lost her life in a stampede-like situation at Sandhya 70mm theatre in Hyderabad. The incident unfolded as frenzied fans surged to catch a glimpse of the star and celebrate the film’s release.
Details of the Incident
The victim, identified as Revanthi, had come to the premiere with her husband Bhaskar (42) and their two children. The family had booked their tickets in advance and arrived at the theatre around 9:30 PM. A police official revealed that the chaos escalated when Allu Arjun and the film crew made an appearance at the theatre, leading to an uncontrollable crowd.
The officer stated, “What compounded the chaos was the arrival of the hero, along with the film crew, to Sandhya 70mm to watch the show. This led to a stampede-like situation as fans surged forward to get a glimpse of the actor.”
Revanthi and her young son, who were near the entrance, were caught in the chaos. “While Bhaskar and their daughter managed to escape with mild injuries, Revanthi and her son were trampled by the crowd,” the police said.
Police resorted to a lathi charge to control the crowd. Revanthi and her son were immediately rushed to Durgabai Deshmukh Hospital after on-site CPR was performed by responders. Tragically, Revanthi was declared dead on arrival, while her son remains in critical condition and has been shifted to a corporate hospital in Banjara Hills for advanced care.
The police added, “We have shifted Revathi’s body to Gandhi Hospital for post-mortem. A case has been registered, and investigations are underway to understand the cause and mismanagement that led to this tragedy.”
The massive fan following of Allu Arjun and the excitement surrounding Pushpa 2 created an overwhelming turnout at the premiere. However, the lack of adequate crowd control measures has raised questions about safety protocols at such high-profile events.
This heartbreaking incident serves as a grim reminder of the need for better crowd management and safety precautions at public events, especially those involving high-profile stars and massive fan turnout.
