Hyderabad:City Police Commissioner CV Anand provided a detailed account of the tragic stampede incident at Sandhya Theatre where a woman identified as Revathi lost her life. Speaking at the city’s annual crime review meeting, he revealed that the police analysed over 10,000 videos to gather evidence, including CCTV footage, social media clips and media coverage.
The incident occurred during a special screening of a film featuring actor Allu Arjun, whose presence at the theatre attracted massive crowds. The stampede led to the death of Revathi and critical injuries to her son, Sritej. The Commissioner shared a 10-minute video compiling key moments of the incident, urging viewers to understand the sequence of events.
Key Findings from the Investigation
Initial Warnings Ignored:On February 2, the theatre manager submitted a request to the local police for permission to hold the event.
On February 3, the police visited the theatre, assessed the situation and advised against inviting Allu Arjun, anticipating crowd issues.
The Day of the Incident:On February 4, at around 9.15 pm, Allu Arjun’s family members arrived at the theatre in separate cars, causing fans to surge towards the gates.
By 9:28 pm, Allu Arjun greeted fans from his car’s sunroof near Mushirabad Metro Station, escalating crowd excitement.
The Stampede:At 9:35 pm, as Allu Arjun entered the theatre, the crowd surged towards the grill gate leading to the lower balcony, breaking the gate and triggering a stampede.