Theatre stampede case: Charge sheet filed against 23 accused including actor Allu Arjun
Hyderabad (PTI): The city police have filed a charge sheet in a court here against 23 persons, including top Telugu actor Allu Arjun, in connection with the death of a woman in a stampede during the premiere of 'Pushpa-2' film at Sandhya theatre here last year.
The theatre's owner, partners, manager and lower balcony In-charge and gatekeeper were named as accused no. 1 to 10 in the charge sheet filed on December 24, while Arjun has been named as accused no 11.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar on Saturday stated that the investigation into the Sandhya theatre stampede case has been completed.
The investigation established lapses in planning, crowd management, security arrangements, and coordination among the theatre management, event organisers, private security personnel, and others involved during the incident, the Commissioner said.
"Following a comprehensive and detailed probe, a chargesheet was filed before the court on December 24. A total of 23 accused have been charge-sheeted in the case. Of these, 14 accused were arrested, while nine accused, who obtained anticipatory bail, were served notices," he said in a release.
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Further proceedings in the case will continue as per law, he said.
Earlier, Allu Arjun was arrested after the 35-year-old woman died and her eight-year-old son was injured in the stampede during the screening of ‘Pushpa 2' movie at Sandhya theatre here on December 4, 2024.
The stampede occurred as fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor during the premiere.
Following the incident, the city police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under different sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on a complaint lodged by the deceased woman's family.
Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13, 2024 and released from jail on December 14, 2024 after the Telangana High Court granted him interim bail. He was granted regular bail later.
Allu Arjun and the makers of the film 'Pushpa' had extended financial assistance to the family of the boy. The Telangana government had also announced financial assistance to the family.
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EC hands over probe into gherao of seven judicial officers in Bengal's Malda to NIA
Kolkata (PTI): The Election Commission of India on Thursday handed over the probe into the gherao of the seven judicial officers in West Bengal's Malda district to the NIA, following a Supreme Court directive.
Observing that West Bengal was the "most polarised state", the Supreme Court delivered a stinging indictment of the state administration after seven judicial officers engaged in SIR exercise were held hostage by protesters in Malda district and directed a CBI or NIA probe into the incident.
In an April 2 letter to the National Investigating Agency, the poll body referred to the apex court's order and directed it to probe the Wednesday incident.
Talking to PTI, a top official of the poll body said the NIA team would reach West Bengal on Friday.
Slamming the state administration for its "complete failure" and inaction over the "deplorable" gherao and attack on the officers during the Special Intensive Revision(SIR) of the voters list, the court also asked the EC to "requisition adequate Central Forces and deploy them at all places where judicial officers are adjudicating the objections".
West Bengal will have a two-phase poll -- on April 23 and 29.
The Supreme Court further said the incident was a "brazen attempt not only to browbeat the judicial officers" but also amounted to a challenge to the authority of this Supreme Court.
The top court gave the order after it took suo motu cognisance of a letter from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court detailing a harrowing night where the judicial officers, including three women and a five-year-old child, were held captive by a mob for over nine hours without food or water.
The incident occurred during the SIR exercise in the Kaliachowk area of Malda district, and as per the order, seven judicial officers were gheraoed by "anti-social elements" at a BDO office starting at 3:30 PM on Wednesday.
The officers were rescued by security forces around midnight on Wednesday after they were gheraoed over the alleged deletion of names from the electoral rolls, officials said.
