Chaos erupts during Lalo film promotions at Crystal Mall in Rajkot; Case filed against mall manager

Chaos during Gujrati film Lalo promotions

What was meant to be a cheerful celebration of the Gujarati film ‘Lalo Krishna Sada Sahayate’ turned into a night of panic and chaos at Crystal Mall in Rajkot on December 2.

A huge crowd gathered for the film’s promotion, organised without prior permission, prompting the University Police Station to register a case against Crystal Mall manager Samir Ramjibhai Visani.

As per Bhaskar English, the manager had set up a stage in the middle of the mall’s ground floor and invited the actors, director, producer, and star cast of Lalo for the public event.

PSI N.V. Chavda, who was on patrol at the time, became aware of the gathering when a video went viral on social media showing the massive crowd.

“I was patrolling from 8 PM when, at 9:15 PM, I saw videos of the Lalo cast at the mall with fans pouring in,” he said.

The event violated a notification from the Rajkot City Police Commissioner, effective from 1 November to 31 December, which requires prior approval for large public gatherings.

Consequently, a case was filed under B.N.S. Section 223, and Samir Visani was issued a notice under B.N.S.S. Section 35(1) following Supreme Court guidelines.

The excitement soon spiralled into chaos. Fans jostled to catch a glimpse of the Lalo stars, with many children getting trapped in a stampede like situation. In a terrifying moment, one young girl fell on the escalator steps, narrowly avoiding serious injury.

Luckily, two quick-thinking bystanders acted immediately, pulled her to safety before the situation worsened. Several other children suffered minor injuries in the overcrowding, and videos of the incident quickly made the rounds online, as reported by Bhaskar English.

Also Read: Pushpa actor Allu Arjun arrested in stampede at Sandhya theatre

Seeing the unsafe conditions, the Lalo cast, including Shruhad Goswami, who plays Krishna in the film, decided to cut the promotion short to prevent further incidents. While the event was intended to be a joyous fan meet, it instead highlighted glaring lapses in crowd management.

Witnesses expressed anger at the organisers, noting that enthusiasm quickly turned to fear. Many emphasised the importance of adequate police presence and trained volunteers at such high-profile events.