Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], June 22 (ANI): The Nampally Criminal Court in Telangana’s Hyderabad on Monday adjourned the hearing in the Sandhya Theatre stampede case to July 6. Actor Allu Arjun is among those named as accused in the matter.
The hearing was postponed after some of the accused failed to appear before the Magistrate. Actor Allu Arjun did not attend virtually, and his advocate filed an absent petition, said Sandhya theatre’s legal team.
Advocate Bhanu Chander, who appeared on behalf of the Sandhya Theatre management, while speaking to the media outside the court, said, “Today is the appearance before the Magistrate at Nampally to file a committal bond. But out of the 23 members (total accused listed in the police chargesheet), 21 or 22 have appeared; 1 or 2 are absent.”
“That’s the reason it is posted for July 6 for the next steps in the registration of the Sessions Court case. For the next hearing, all 23 members should appear before the court together,” he added.
Chikkadpally Police have named the actor as Accused No. 11, while the management of Sandhya Theatre has been listed as Accused Nos. 1 to 10. The Nampally Court has issued summons to 19 accused persons, and the police have already filed a chargesheet against 23 individuals in connection with the incident.
The stampede took place on December 4, 2024, during a special benefit show of ‘Pushpa 2’ at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre.
In the stampede, a woman identified as Revathi lost her life, while her son, Sri Teja, sustained serious injuries. The stampede occurred when a large crowd gathered outside the theatre to catch a glimpse of the actor during the film’s premiere. As Allu Arjun waved to fans from his car’s sunroof, the situation quickly spiralled out of control. During the chaos, Revathi tragically lost her life, and her son, Sri Teja, sustained serious injuries, leading to his hospitalisation.
To support the victim’s family, Arjun also extended financial assistance. His father, film producer Allu Aravind, announced a contribution of Rs 2 crore to help the family of Revathi, who tragically passed away in the incident. (ANI)