NHRC seeks report on Pushpa stampede from Telangana police in 4 weeks

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Director General of Police (DGP) and the Commissioner of Police in Hyderabad, seeking a detailed action taken report (ATR) on the December 4 stampede at Sandhya Theatre during the screening of actor Allu Arjun’s film Pushpa 2. The commission has set a four-week deadline for the submission of report.

A 35-year-old woman died and her eight-year-old son was injured in the stampede-like situation as fans jostled to have a glimpse of the actor at the movie’s premiere.

Based on the victim’s family’s complaint, the Hyderabad police had registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team and the theatre management. The actor was arrested but released on bail shortly after he was shifted to a jail, the Telangana High Court granted him interim bail for four weeks and he was released from the jail on December 14. The actor had this week announced a financial assistance of Rs 2 crore for the family of the woman who died in the stampede.

According to the NHRC, they received a complaint, in which it was alleged that the woman had died due to lathi-charge by the Chikkadpally police, while her two children were also injured.

“The complainant has further alleged that the lack of necessary arrangements and lathi-charge by the police officials, when the actor entered in the theatre, resulted in the woman’s death. The complainant has requested intervention of the commission to take necessary action on erring police officials, who resorted to lathi-charge,” the notice read.

Acting on a complaint filed by advocate Rama Rao Immane, the NHRC has also directed the Police Commissioner to have the allegations inquired by a senior rank police officer and ensure the needful action.