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.
Revathi and her son were caught in the chaos. Both were found unconscious soon after. Despite police efforts, Revathi could not be revived.
Police Efforts: Officers performed CPR on the victims and transported them to the hospital.
ACP Ramesh Kumar and CI Raju Naik tried to inform Allu Arjun about the fatalities, but his manager delayed the information.
Actor’s Response: Allu Arjun reportedly insisted on staying to watch the film, despite being informed about Revathi’s death and the gravity of the situation.
He eventually left the theatre at 12:05 am, over two hours after the incident, waving to fans from his car’s roof as he departed.
Emotional Testimonies from Officials
ACP Ramesh Kumar: “We tried to inform Arjun about the situation, but his manager delayed the communication. I had to directly intervene and inform him of the tragedy.”
CI Raju Naik: “We rejected the theatre’s request for the event, anticipating chaos. The pain of not being able to save Revathi still haunts me.”
