Allu Arjun ‘deeply heartbroken’ after stampede at Pushpa 2 premiere kills woman, donates ₹25 lakh to victim's family

Actor Allu Arjun has broken his silence on the stampede that occurred at a Hyderabad theatre during the premiere of ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’, which resulted in the death of a woman and injuries to her teenage son. Allu Arjun expressed sorrow on social media platform X, stating, “Deeply heartbroken by the tragic incident at Sandhya Theatre. My heartfelt condolences go out to the grieving family during this unimaginably difficult time." The actor also pledged to donate ₹25 lakh to the victim's family and cover all medical expenses for the injured. “It’s just a goodwill gesture to secure their future,” he said in a video shared online.

“I want to assure them they are not alone in this pain and will meet the family personally. While respecting their need for space to grieve, I stand committed to extend every possible assistance to help them navigate through this challenging journey,” he said.

The premier of Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2 turned tragic when a stampede broke out, claiming the life of 35-year-old Revathi and injuring her 13-year-old son. Over one lakh fans had gathered to see actors Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna, leading to chaos at the packed venue.

Legal action and police investigation

The family of the deceased lodged a complaint at Chikkadapally Police Station. According to Central Zone DCP Akshansh Yadav, a case has been registered against the theatre management, Allu Arjun, and his security team under Sections 105 and 118(1) read with 3(5) of the BNS Act.

“The complaint alleges that the actor’s security team used excessive force, causing panic and pushing people, which led to the stampede,” said Yadav. He clarified that police deployment was in place and no lapses on their part have been identified.

Reports indicate that the actor’s team entered through a congested area, adding to the mismanagement and further aggravating the crowd situation.

Event context, fan response

The premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule was one of the year’s most anticipated events, drawing massive fanfare. Directed by Sukumar, the sequel continues the story of Pushpa Raj, a smuggler caught in the power dynamics of the sandalwood mafia.