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Hyderabad Police have registered a case against Telugu actor Allu Arjun and several others in connection with the stampede that erupted outside a Hyderabad theatre and left one woman dead on Wednesday, after he arrived without prior intimation for the premiere show of his movie "Pushpa 2: The Rule".
Besides the actor, his security team and the management of Sandhya Theatre, where the screening was held, have been booked under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said.
There was no immediate comment either from Mr Arjun or the theatre management at the time of filing this report.
A 35-year-old woman died and her nine-year-son was hospitalised due to asphyxiation as a huge crowd jostled at the film theatre to catch a glimpse of Mr Arjun, when he arrived with music director Devi Sri Prasad for the screening on Wednesday evening.
Earlier in the day, 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 top cop also said that there was no separate entry or exit for the actor and his team, even though the theatre management was aware of their arrival.
"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," the top cop said in a statement.
According to the police, Mr Arjun arrived at the theatre at around 9.30pm on Wednesday with his personal security. As hundreds of people thronged the premises to catch a glimpse of him, his security team started pushing the crowd, which further aggravated the situation.
The actor and his security team, along with the crowd, entered the lower balcony area of the theatre. "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 statement said.
The woman's son, Teja, is believed to be in a critical condition and is currently undergoing treatment. The family, who resides in Dilsukhnagar, has demanded accountability from the threatre management, and sought a response from the actor on the incident. They have also demanded that Mr Arjun provide them with support.
Meanwhile, the production house, Mythri Movie Makers, expressed anguish over the incident during the movie's screening. "We are committed to standing by them and extending all possible support during this difficult time," it said on X.