Hyderabad witnessed emotional moments on Wednesday as Allu Aravind, father of Telugu superstar Allu Arjun, visited a hospital to check on a young survivor of the tragic stampede that occurred during the screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule on December 4. The stampede had claimed the life of a 35-year-old woman and left her 9-year-old son critically injured.
Allu Aravind met the father and husband of the deceased woman at the hospital and expressed solidarity with the grieving family. The boy, who sustained severe brain damage due to a lack of oxygen during the chaos, remains in critical condition. Telangana Health Secretary Christina Z. Chongthu and Hyderabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand also visited the hospital earlier, providing updates on the boy’s condition. Commissioner Anand confirmed that the child is currently on ventilator support, and his recovery would be a prolonged process. “The brain has suffered damage, and it will take time for it to regain the capacity to analyze signals,” Anand explained.
The tragic stampede occurred at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre, where a massive crowd had gathered to catch a glimpse of Allu Arjun, who was attending the screening alongside music director Devi Sri Prasad. The chaos escalated when the main gate of the theater collapsed, leading to the tragedy. The deceased woman and her son were part of the crowd.
Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13 in connection with the case. He was taken into custody from his residence and sent to 14-day judicial custody. The actor was later granted interim bail for four weeks on a personal bond of ₹50,000, although paperwork delays led to him spending a night in jail.
Addressing criticism over his absence at the victim’s family visit, Allu Arjun issued a statement expressing his sorrow and explaining that legal advice prevented him from meeting the family at this time. “I remain deeply concerned about young Sri Tej, who is under constant medical care after the unfortunate incident. Due to ongoing legal proceedings, I have been advised not to visit him and his family. My prayers remain with them, and I am committed to addressing their medical and family needs,” Arjun said.
The incident has sparked widespread discussions about crowd control and accountability during high-profile public events. Fans and the public continue to express their condolences and hope for the young boy’s recovery.
