Hyderabad: Chikkadpally police have filed a chargesheet in the Sandhya Theatre stampede case, naming 23 persons as accused, including film actor Allu Arjun as Accused No. 11 (A-11). The Sandhya Theatre management has been listed as Accused No. 1, while three managers, eight bouncers, and four eyewitnesses have also been included in the chargesheet. The development marks a significant step in the investigation into the tragic incident that occurred during the Pushpa 2 benefit show.
The incident took place on December 4, 2024, at around 9.30 pm, when Allu Arjun and his team arrived at Sandhya Theatre near RTC Cross Roads, Hyderabad. A large number of fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor, leading to a stampede-like situation. Police resorted to a lathi-charge to control the crowd. In the chaos, a 35-year-old woman, Revathi, and her nine-year-old son, Sritej, fell and were trampled. Both sustained severe injuries and were rushed to a private hospital, where Revathi succumbed, while Sritej was later shifted to NIMS in critical condition. Several others suffered minor injuries in the incident.
Nearly a year after the tragedy, Sritej’s health condition has shown no significant improvement, and he remains unable to walk or speak, according to his family. His father, Bhaskar, has expressed deep distress over his son’s prolonged suffering and the family’s hardships. Following the incident, Allu Arjun and Allu Aravind provided ₹75 lakh towards medical expenses, while producer Dil Raju announced that ₹2 crore was deposited into the family’s account for support. The filing of the chargesheet is expected to pave the way for further legal proceedings in the case.