Pushpa 2 stampede case: NHRC seeks action report from Hyderabad Police chief

Stampede at Pushpa 2 premiere

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has requested an action taken report within four weeks from the Hyderabad Police chief regarding the death of a woman in a stampede at a theatre in Telangana's capital in early December, where the film Pushpa 2 was being screened, news agency PTI reported.

NHRC has also called for a senior-ranking police officer to investigate the allegations in the Pushpa 2 stampede case and has sought "needful action" on the matter.

A complaint was filed with NHRC on 5 December and registered 12 days later, as per the proceedings, PTI reported. The commission took action on Wednesday and has asked for a detailed action taken report within four weeks.

A 35-year-old woman died during the stampede at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on December 4, where the Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa 2 was being screened. Her eight-year-old son was hospitalised after he suffered serious injuries.

Following the incident, a case was filed against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Chikkadpally Police Station, based on a complaint from the woman's family.

Allu Arjun was arrested by the city police in connection with the woman's death on December 13. The Telangana High Court granted him a four-week interim bail on the same day, and he was released from a prison in Hyderabad on December 14.

According to the proceedings, the complainant has drawn the commission's attention to the death of the woman, allegedly "due to lathi charge" by the police of Chikkadpally, who accompanied Allu Arjun during a promotional show of Pushpa 2. The stampede resulted in "serious injuries" to the woman and her two children, the complainant said.

"He has further alleged that the lathi charge resorted to by police officials and the lack of necessary arrangements when film star Allu Arjun entered the theatre resulted in the death" of the woman and injuries to her children, the proceedings state.

The complainant has requested the "intervention" of NHRC to take "necessary action on erring police officials who had resorted to the lathi charge," the document added.

"Therefore, let a copy of the complaint be transmitted to the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, to have the allegations inquired by a senior rank police officer, ensure the needful action, and submit the detailed action taken report to the Commission within four weeks," the proceedings stated.

(With PTI inputs)