Woman killed, son injured in stampede at 'Pushpa 2' premiere in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: A 35-year-old woman lost her life, and her nine-year-old son sustained serious injuries during a stampede at the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule at Sandhya Theatre on Wednesday evening. The incident occurred as massive crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of the film’s lead actor, Allu Arjun.
Chaos broke out outside the theatre when fans surged to see Allu Arjun, who arrived with music director Devi Sri Prasad for the screening. The theatre’s main gate reportedly collapsed under the pressure of the crowd, leading to the tragic incident, police said.
In an attempt to control the situation, police resorted to lathi charge. Despite their efforts, the stampede turned fatal. The injured boy was rushed to a private hospital and is currently undergoing treatment.
Authorities revealed that thousands had gathered at the venue not only to watch the highly anticipated sequel but also to catch a glimpse of the film’s production team. Additional police reinforcements were deployed to prevent further escalation.
Pushpa 2: The Rule, directed by Sukumar, is the sequel to the 2021 blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise. The film stars Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil, and is scheduled for release across 10,000 screens in multiple languages. Initially planned for a 3D release, the film will now screen in 2D and 4DX formats due to delays in post-production.
Despite the hype, the film faced controversies over ticket price hikes in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, which led to court petitions. However, the Telangana High Court permitted the release to proceed.
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Family of injured driver in murder of Suvendu's aide seeks exemplary punishment
Kolkata (PTI): The family of Buddhabeb Bera, the driver injured in the shooting that killed BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's close aide Chandranath Rath, demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible and urged the new government to ensure such incidents do not happen in West Bengal.
Rath was shot dead in Madhyamgram near Kolkata on Wednesday night, triggering a political storm in the state. Bera, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the attack, sustained gunshot wounds and is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
Family members said they learned about the incident through television and immediately left for Kolkata.
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"We came to know from TV reports that my nephew had been shot. We still do not know who carried out the attack or why it happened," Buddhabeb's uncle Biswajit Bera said.
"Our only wish now is that he recovers and returns home safely," he added.
Buddhabeb, 25, hails from Majnaberia village in the Chandipur police station area in Purba Medinipur district.
According to family members, he mostly stays in Kolkata for work and visits home occasionally during weekends.
Besides his parents, his younger brother, sister-in-law and several relatives have also travelled to Kolkata following the incident.
Demanding strict action against the perpetrators, the uncle said, "We want the government to conduct a proper investigation and identify those directly involved in the crime. They should be given exemplary punishment so that such incidents do not happen again in West Bengal and no other family has to go through this grief."
A neighbour, Ranjana Ghorai, also sought stringent punishment for those behind the attack.
"In our neighbourhood, we call him Sona. We want exemplary punishment for the people responsible for this incident," she said.
Rath's family members have demanded life imprisonment for the accused, while Adhikari has called for capital punishment for those involved in the killing.
