Mumbai: Pushpa 2: The Rule, starring Allu Arjun, has been marred by tragedy as two fans have lost their lives during screenings of the film in separate incidents. These unfortunate events have led to police investigations and public concern over crowd management and safety at film screenings.
Second Death in Andhra Pradesh
In Andhra Pradesh, 35-year-old Harijana Madhannappa was found dead after attending the matinee show of Pushpa 2 on Monday. Kalyandurgam Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ravi Babu revealed that Madhannappa, a father of four and known alcohol addict, attended the screening in an intoxicated state and consumed more alcohol inside the theatre. His body was discovered by the theatre’s cleaning staff at around 6 pm.
DSP Ravi Babu stated, “It is not clear when he died, but the cleaning staff found him dead after the matinee show.” A case has been registered under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act, and the police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
Hyderabad Incident Sparks Outrage
Earlier, on December 4, a female fan tragically lost her life during a stampede at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad, where Allu Arjun attended the premiere with co-star Rashmika Mandanna and wife Sneha Reddy. The stampede also left the victim’s son critically injured, leading to widespread criticism of the event’s crowd management.
Following the incident, the police arrested Sandhya Theatre owner M Sandeep, senior manager M Nagaraju, and balcony in-charge Gandhakam Vijay Chander. Cases have also been registered against Allu Arjun and his security team under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act, including Sections 105 and 118(1).
Reacting to the tragedies, Allu Arjun and director Sukumar issued an apology to the victim’s family. The actor promised to cover medical expenses and provide additional support to the bereaved family.
