Mogadampalli Bhaskar's life was turned upside down in a single day. A simple family outing to watch the first-day, first-show of Pushpa 2: The Rule ended in tragedy. His wife, Revathi, tragically lost her life, while his son, Sritej—a die-hard fan of the film’s star—sustained injuries in the incident.
The tragedy unfolded late Wednesday night at Hyderabad's iconic Sandhya Theatre, where a massive crowd of fans had gathered to catch a glimpse of their idol, Arjun. The overwhelming rush led to a stampede-like situation, trapping Revathi and her son Sritej in the chaos.
According to a report in The Times of India, the 40-year-old grieving husband shared his anguish over the incident. He said, "She gave me life, and now she's gone." In 2023, Revathi had donated her liver to Bhaskar, who is still in the process of recovering. Currently unemployed, he now faces an uncertain future without her support.
Bhaskar recounted the devastating events of that night, explaining that he had taken his wife and two children to Sandhya Theatre to witness the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule, where actor Allu Arjun was expected to make an appearance. As the crowd surged, chaos erupted. Bhaskar, holding his younger child Sanvi, had moved away to comfort her as she cried amidst the commotion. Meanwhile, Revathi stayed with their son, Sritej.
In the ensuing stampede, Revathi tragically lost her life while shielding Sritej, who collapsed from suffocation and was rushed to a nearby hospital. Reports suggest that the situation became even more chaotic after a police lathi charge caused the crowd to panic and lose control.
Bhaskar further shared that their son, Tej, a devoted fan of Allu Arjun and affectionately nicknamed "Pushpa" by many, had been the reason they visited the theatre that night. He explained that the situation was initially under control when his wife and children entered the venue. However, when Allu Arjun arrived, the crowd surged, leading to a stampede. Bhaskar mentioned that police performed CPR on Tej when he lost consciousness and then rushed him to the hospital.
Also read: Pushpa 2 Mumbai show abruptly stopped after mysterious spray caused cough and vomiting to audience
Bunny Vasu, a member of Allu Arjun's team, visited Revathi's family and the hospital. He personally consulted with the doctors and ensured that financial support for the child’s treatment was arranged on behalf of the team.
Meanwhile, the police registered a case against actor Allu Arjun, his security team, and the Sandhya Theatre management. In an official statement, the DCP alleged that the theatre management failed to notify the police about the actor and cast members' attendance at the event, which contributed to the crowd mismanagement.
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