NEW DELHI: The ‘Pushpa-2’ production team provided Rs 50 lakhs as financial aid to the family of a woman who died in a crowd crush during the film’s screening.
Producer Naveen Yerneni visited the hospital where the deceased woman’s eight-year-old son is undergoing treatment and delivered a cheque to the family. He shared his sympathies and told reporters that the financial support was given to the woman’s husband to assist the family in this challenging period.
A stampede at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on December 4, following the Telugu star’s arrival for his film’s premiere, resulted in the death of Revathi and injuries to her son, Sri Tej. Event organisers and Allu Arjun faced criticism for insufficient safety protocols.
The actor rejected the allegations, calling them a “campaign of character assassination” whilst showing concern for the injured. He stated that legal constraints prevented him from visiting Sri Tej but promised to cover the boy’s medical costs. Following his arrest, Allu Arjun obtained bail from the Telangana High Court on December 16.
Authorities state that Allu Arjun remained at the theatre despite instructions to leave due to the stampede.
At a press briefing, City Police Commissioner CV Anand presented a police-compiled video on Sunday, showing the stampede situation. The footage, assembled from news channels and mobile phone recordings, indicates the actor stayed at the theatre until midnight.
Anand left the video open to media interpretation. The incident sparked public outrage against Allu Arjun, with protesters gathering at his residence on Sunday demanding justice. During these demonstrations, vandals damaged parts of his property.
In response to the situation, Allu Arjun announced his intention to donate Rs25 lakhs to the victim’s family and issued a public apology.
Police Commissioner CV Anand confirmed that investigations include the behaviour of the actor’s security personnel and hired bouncers, who allegedly pushed both civilians and police officers, worsening the situation.
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