Hyderabad court summons Allu Arjun in Sandhya Theatre stampede case

A Hyderabad court has summoned actor Allu Arjun to appear in connection with the Sandhya Theatre stampede case, which claimed the life of a woman during the premiere screening of the blockbuster film Pushpa 2: The Rule.

The Nampally Criminal Court directed the actor to appear in person on 22 June. Allu Arjun has been named as Accused No. 11 in the case arising from the stampede that occurred at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on 4 December 2024.

The incident took place during a special screening attended by the actor. According to investigators, large crowds gathered at the venue and surged towards the theatre upon his arrival, triggering a stampede. A woman, identified as M. Revathi, lost her life in the chaos, while her son sustained serious injuries.

The court has so far issued summons to 19 of the 23 individuals named in the police chargesheet. The first 10 accused are associated with the management of the theatre, while eight members of the actor's private security team have also been named in the case.

The trial is expected to commence once all accused appear before the court.

Police had registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the theatre management, Allu Arjun and members of his team following the incident.

The actor was arrested on 13 December 2024, and subsequently produced before the Nampally court, which remanded him to judicial custody for 14 days. Later that day, the High Court granted him interim bail, leading to his release from prison the following day. He was subsequently granted regular bail by the trial court.

As part of the investigation, police questioned the actor for nearly three hours on 24 December 2024, at Chikkadpally Police Station. Investigators reportedly relied on CCTV footage compiled into a video presentation while recording his statement.

The police filed a chargesheet against all 23 accused in December last year, paving the way for the trial proceedings that are now set to begin.

With IANS inputs