Revanth govt tightens noose on Sandhya Theatre

Hyderabad police on Tuesday issued a show cause notice to Sandhya 70MM Theatre seeking its response on why its license should not be cancelled for negligence leading to the death of a woman during the premiers of "Pushpa 2: The Rule". 

Police Commissioner C. V. Anand issued a show cause notice to the theatre management after serious lapses were observed, leading to the stampede during the premiere show on December 4.

The notice highlights the theatre’s failure to manage crowd control, which tragically resulted in the death of a woman and left her 9-year-old son critically injured.

The Commissioner of Police has directed Renuka Devi, the licensee of Sandhya 70MM Theatre, to explain why the cinematograph license granted should not be cancelled for failing to provide a safe and secure environment.

The theatre management has been given 10 days to respond to the show cause notice.

The notice mentions that on December 4 at around 9.40 p.m., a massive crowd gathered at the theatre as actor Allu Arjun and the film’s lead actress made an unannounced visit for the premiere.

According to the notice, there was no prior intimation from the theatre management or the actor’s team that they would be visiting the theatre. The theatre failed to make arrangements for crowd management. When the actor’s private security team started pushing back the public, this aggravated the situation.

A large number of people entered the lower balcony area along with the actor and his security team.

There was no personnel to check whether people entering had valid tickets or not.

Mogudampalli Revathi, 35, a resident of Dilsukhnagar, and her 9-year-old son Tej felt suffocated due to the large public influx. Police personnel on duty pulled them out, performed CPR and rushed them to Durgabai Deshmukh Hospital. Revathi was declared dead, and her son was later shifted to KIMS Hospital for further treatment, reads the notice.

A case was registered at Chikkadpally Police Station under sections 105, 118(1) r/w 3(5) of the BNS Act.

Police had arrested Allu Arjun on December 13. A city court had sent him to judicial custody for 14 days. However, Telangana High Court granted him interim bail the same day.

The actor, who was listed as accused number 11 in the case, was released from jail the next morning. Three other accused in the case, who were arrested earlier, were also released on bail.

The notice says that the theatre management failed to notify police about the arrival of lead actors, despite knowing it would attract large crowds.

The other lapses identified include inadequate security and crowd control measures, including a single DFMD at entry with no frisking arrangements for women, lack of proper signage for entry and exit, leading to confusion, unauthorised installation of flexes, trusses, and lighting outside the theatre, encouraging large gatherings, unsatisfactory infrastructure, with the lower balcony gate unable to withstand the crowd pressure and lack of ticket verification system, allowing unauthorised entry and overcrowding.

According to the notice, there were insufficient parking arrangements and a failure to manage crowds at the main gates. Private security personnel were allowed to block public passages, further aggravating the situation.