The silver jubilee celebrations of a US-based software company turned tragic after a mishap on stage killed its CEO and grievously injured its president at Ramoji Film City on the night of Thursday, January 18. The deceased is Sanjay Shah (56), the founder-CEO of Illinois-based Vistex Asia-Pacific Private Ltd.
Sanjay was killed after an iron and wood compartment in which he and company president Raju Batla were being lowered to the stage collapsed from a height of 15 feet. According to reports, Sanjay and Raju were to make a grand entrance on stage by descending on the stage in an iron compartment operated by pulleys and ropes. As they were waving to those gathered at the venue, one of the ropes snapped, causing the compartment to crash at great speed onto the concrete stage.
The Hindu reported that the First Information Report filed by the Abdullapurmet police stated that the event organisers took around 20 minutes to arrange an ambulance. Even though he was taken to the hospital, Sanjay succumbed to his injuries early morning on Friday. The FIR also noted that Raju had to be taken to the hospital in a car. He is reportedly still in critical condition.
The police have filed an FIR under section 304-A (death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code against the event organisers and the management of Ramoji Film City.