A letter from Sandhya 70 MM theatre in Hyderabad requesting the police to provide arrangements to manage the crowds during the release of Pushpa 2: The Rule has emerged, forcing a volte-face in the police's stance. The letter dated December 2, explicitly mentions the attendance of actors Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and other VIPs and requests police bandobust in anticipation of a large crowd.
In the aftermath of the tragic stampede at the Sandhya 70 mm theatre in Hyderabad during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule, Hyderabad police claimed they were not informed about Allu Arjun’s presence at the premiere. The police had said that his surprise appearance caused a surge in the crowd, leading to the stampede. Actor Allu Arjun was arrested and charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder on December 13. The December 4 incident, which left a woman dead and a child critically injured, has led to conflicting narratives between the Hyderabad police and the theatre management.
"We request you to arrange to provide Police Bandobust (arrangements) at SANDHYA 70 MM RTC X Roads, Hyderabad, in connection with release of PUSHPA 2 on 04-12-2024 because there will be heavy fans crowd. The Hero, Heroine and VIPs and Production unit of the film are coming to see the movie (sic)," the letter dated December 2 reads. The letter added that the film would be screened at the theatre at 9:30 pm on December 4, followed by four shows on December 5. It is signed and stamped by the Chikadapally Assistant Police Commissioner in acknowledgement.
After the letter surfaced, the police admitted in court on December 13 that they had received it. In a press release, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Central Zone Akshansh Yadav stated, "Clarification regarding the letter being circulating in media addressed by Sandhya Cine Enterprise 70 MM to ACP Chikkadpally requesting bandobust on 04/05-12-2024 in connection with release of Pushpa-2. We receive a lot of requests for bandobast citing visits by some political personalities, film celebrities, religious programs etc., However, it is beyond our resources to provide bandobast for every event. In specific cases where a heavy crowd is expected or some popular personality is visiting, organiser personally visits police station/ACP/DCP office and briefs about the event, depending upon which we provide bandobust.”
The police maintained that despite receiving the letter, the organiser did not meet any officers and only submitted the letter. The DCP claimed that the situation remained under control until Allu Arjun’s arrival.
"In specific cases where a heavy crowd is expected or some popular personality is visiting, the organiser personally visits the police station / ACP / DCP office and briefs about the program depending upon which we provide the bandobust. In this case, the organiser did not meet any officer and simply submitted the letter in the inward section. No details were made available to the police despite this, we arranged a suitable bandobust for crowd management outside the theatre. The crowd was well in control till the actor arrived," the statement said.
According to the police, the actor waved to fans from the sunroof of his vehicle, attracting the crowd towards the main gate. His private security team’s attempts to clear a path exacerbated the situation.
“His team was intimated to take him back, citing a large public gathering, but they didn't act on it, and Allu Arjun was there inside the theatre for more than two hours. Therefore, it is clear that adequate police bandobust was in place, it was his actions that led to this unfortunate incident, in which a lady died and her son is still unconscious on a ventilator even after 9 days of the incident," it added.
The statement also dismissed the allegations that the police personnel misbehaved with Allu Arjun at the time of his arrest. "Another issue is that the police personnel misbehaved with Allu Arjun at the time of arrest, is also not true. When police reached his residence, he requested some time to change his clothes. He went inside his bedroom, police personnel waited outside and took him into custody when he came out. There was no use of force or any misbehaviour with him by any police personnel. He was given enough time to interact with his family and wife, and he himself came out and entered the police vehicle," it further said.
Revathi, a 39-year-old woman who had come to watch the premiere with her family, was caught in the surging crowd and died of suffocation. Her nine-year-old son remains in critical condition on a ventilator. The incident led to a police case against Sandhya Theatre’s owner, two managers, and Allu Arjun.
Allu Arjun was taken into custody on December 13 and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days. Soon after the incident, the actor had expressed deep regret over the incident, announcing financial aid of Rs 25 lakh to the victim's family and covering medical expenses for the injured. During the success meet of Pushpa 2, the actor and director Sukumar called the event “unfortunate” and extended their condolences.