A boy injured in a stampede during the premiere of actor Allu Arjun’s latest film, Pushpa 2, has been declared brain dead.
Hyderabad City Police Commissioner CV Anand spoke to the media on Tuesday, stating that nine-year-old Sritej suffered brain death due to a lack of oxygen during the stampede.
Meanwhile, the boy remains on ventilator support. Telangana Government Health Secretary Dr. Christina assured that his condition is being closely monitored and expressed hope for his recovery.
“Child Sritej continues to remain in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), requiring mechanical ventilation with minimal oxygen support. His fever is subsiding, and he is on minimal inotropes. Vital parameters are stable, and he is tolerating feeds well. Given his static neurological status, a tracheostomy is being planned to facilitate weaning from the ventilator,” says a medical bulletin from KIMS Hospital, where the boy is admitted.
Earlier, his mother, Revathi, had died in the stampede-like chaos at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on December 4. The incident happened as thousands of fans jostled to catch a glimpse of Allu Arjun at the premiere of Pushpa 2.
Later, Allu Arjun was arrested in connection with the death. He was released on Saturday morning on the orders of the Telangana High Court.
The ‘Pushpa’ actor was granted bail by Telangana High Court after furnishing a personal bond of Rs 50,000.
The incident leading to Allu Arjun’s arrest occurred during a chaotic scene at the Sandhya theatre on December 4. A massive crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of the star. The situation escalated when Allu Arjun waved to fans from the sunroof of his vehicle.
Police allege that this action contributed to the chaos, resulting in the death of a woman named Revathi, while her son sustained injuries.