Sritej had suffered severe brain injuries in the incident, where his mother, Revathi, was killed shielding him. As of March, doctors had reported that Sritej was still unable to recognise family members or respond to verbal commands, with little improvement in cognitive function.
Published Apr 29, 2025 | 11:00 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 30, 2025 | 6:55 AM
Chaos unfolded at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre during the premiere of Pushpa 2 following actor Allu Arjun’s arrival.
Synopsis: Nine-year-old Sritej, critically injured in the 4 December 2024 stampede at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre during the Pushpa 2 premiere, has been moved to a neurorehabilitation centre after five months in intensive care. His mother, Revathi, died shielding him from the chaos caused by poor crowd control and lack of safety measures at the venue.
Nine-year-old Sritej, who suffered serious brain injuries in the stampede at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre last December during the premiere of the Telugu film Pushpa 2: The Rule, has been moved to a neurorehabilitation centre after nearly five months in intensive care.
Sritej’s mother, Revathi, was killed shielding him.
He experienced prolonged unconsciousness, respiratory failure, and a critical neurological condition that left him on ventilator support for several weeks. He underwent multiple interventions in the paediatric ICU and was gradually weaned off sedation, ventilation, and tube feeding over the course of several months.
Doctors say his condition has now improved.
“Sritej is being discharged to a Neurorehabilitation Center for continued neurorehab services. He is taking oral feeds and is not needing any oxygen or respiratory support,” doctors at KIMS Cuddles, Secunderabad, said in a statement on Tuesday, 29 April.
Neurorehabilitation centres provide care for patients recovering from serious brain or spinal injuries, including therapies for physical, speech, and cognitive recovery.
As of March, doctors had reported that Sritej was still unable to recognise family members or respond to verbal commands, with little improvement in cognitive function.
Earlier this month, he underwent an Endoscopic Gastrostomy procedure, allowing doctors to deliver food directly to his stomach through a wider feeding tube. Doctors say his body is tolerating this feeding method well.
However, he continues to experience intermittent dystonia, a condition causing involuntary muscle movements, especially in the upper body.
The stampede occurred on 4 December 2024 during the premiere of Pushpa 2, when large crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of lead actor Allu Arjun, who had arrived for the screening.
Police later said there were no special arrangements or prior announcements about the actors’ arrival. The theatre lacked separate entry and exit points, and gates collapsed under pressure, triggering chaos.
Following the incident, police filed a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 118(1) (punishment for causing hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Allu Arjun was arrested on 13 December and placed in 14-day judicial custody. He was later granted interim bail and then regular bail, with restrictions including weekly appearances at a police station. The theatre owner and two employees were also arrested.
The actor initially announced ₹25 lakh in compensation for the family and offered to cover medical expenses. A total package of ₹2 crore was later announced – ₹1 crore from Allu Arjun, and ₹50 lakh each from director Sukumar and producers Mythri Movie Makers. The payment was made through Telangana Film Development Corporation chairperson Dil Raju.
(Edited Gowda)
