Pushpa 2 Stampede: Victim Battles Brain Injury, Police Visit After Allu Arjun's Arrest

A stampede broke out at Hyderabad's Sandhya Theatre on December 4 during the premiere of ‘Pushpa 2’, attended by the film's lead actor Allu Arjun.

An eight-year-old boy, Sri Tej, was seriously injured in the stampede at Sandhya Theatre during the ‘Pushpa 2’ premiere. He is still in the hospital, fighting for his life. Telangana Health Secretary Christina Z. Chongthu and Hyderabad Police Commissioner C. V. Anand visited him and shared a sad update about his health.

Stampede at Sandhya Theatre during the Pushpa 2 screening 

Doctors have revealed that Sri Tej is currently on mechanical ventilation with minimal oxygen support. They are considering performing a tracheostomy—a surgical procedure to insert a tube into the windpipe—to help him breathe independently and gradually transition off the ventilator.

"His fever is reducing and on minimal inotropes, his vital parameters are stable. He is tolerating feeds well," said a statement from the hospital.

The child was initially brought in with low oxygen levels and irregular breathing. Despite being taken off ventilator support on December 10, he had to be re-intubated two days later due to respiratory distress.

Hyderabad City Police Commissioner CV Anand, who visited the hospital, reported that Sri Tej suffered brain damage due to oxygen deprivation during the stampede. He added that recovery would be a lengthy and uncertain process.

A stampede broke out at Hyderabad's Sandhya Theatre on December 4 during the premiere of ‘Pushpa 2’, attended by the film's lead actor Allu Arjun. Amid the chaos as large crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor, 35-year-old Mogudampalli Revathi and her eight-year-old son, Sri Tej, suffered severe suffocation. Police performed CPR on both before rushing them to the hospital, where Revathi was declared dead.

Allu Arjun's arrest

Meanwhile, Allu Arjun addressed the reason for not visiting the boy yet. Taking to his Instagram, the actor wrote: “I remain deeply concerned about young Sri Tej, who is under constant medical care after the unfortunate incident. Due to the ongoing legal proceedings, I have been advised not to visit him and his family at this time. My prayers remain with them and I remain committed to taking responsibility for addressing the medical and family needs. I wish him a speedy recovery, and I look forward to meeting him and his family at the earliest."

A case was filed against Allu Arjun in connection with the stampede at the Sandhya Theatre. The actor was arrested from his residence and sent to 14-day judicial custody. He was later granted interim bail for four weeks on a personal bond of Rs 50,000. However, due to delays in paperwork, he had to spend a night in jail.