Actor Allu Arjun and the film’s production team have promised to provide Rs 2 crore in financial support to the family of the 35-year-old woman who died in the tragic stampede that occurred at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre during a special screening of Pushpa 2: The Rise.
Renowned producer Allu Aravind, Allu Arjun’s father, made the announcement on Wednesday, promising to compensate the deceased woman and secure her family’s future.
The stampede happened on December 4 after Allu Arjun made an unexpected appearance, sending fans into a frenzy as they tried to get a glimpse of the celebrity. The woman tragically died as a result of the chaos, and her young son Sri Tej was seriously hurt and needed critical care. Doctors are hopeful that the boy, who was recently removed from a ventilator, will recover completely.
In a sincere statement, Allu Aravind clarified that the Rs 2 crore aid would be split in half: Rs 1 crore would come from Allu Arjun himself, and the remaining Rs 1 crore would be split between director Sukumar and the film’s producers, Mythri Movie Makers. The financial aid is meant to support the family during their time of grief and ensure that Sri Tej’s future is secured as he recovers from his injuries.
“We are doing this to support the family and the boy, especially as he recovers from his injuries. This financial aid will help them in the long term,” said Allu Aravind. He also expressed relief upon hearing from doctors that the boy’s condition is improving, and he is expected to regain full health soon.
The police launched an investigation after the stampede incident, which happened while people were watching the eagerly awaited Pushpa sequel. The theater management, Allu Arjun, and his security detail were first charged with negligence and culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The actor, however, has continuously refuted the accusations and blamed the stampede on his security team’s reaction and the unexpected surge of the crowd.
Allu Arjun has expressed regret for the incident but has strongly denied causing the chaos. He was arrested on December 13 and released on bail the following day. He made it clear that he had told thepolice that he intended to go to thescreening and that he had no influence over the crowd’s behavior. “I just waved to people and went inside.”. No cop asked me to leave, and the situation went out of hand despite our best efforts,” Allu Arjun said, criticizing the “misinformation” surrounding the tragic event.
The father of the deceased woman, speaking to the media, expressed no ill will toward Allu Arjun, stating that he does not hold the actor responsible for the tragedy. “I am ready to withdraw the case. Allu Arjun had nothing to do with my wife’s death,” he said, emphasizing his family’s desire to focus on healing rather than pursuing further legal action.
