Boy injured in Pushpa 2 stampede shows improvement, actor Allu Arjun donates ₹10 lakh to family

The eight-year-old boy who was injured in the Dec 4 stampede during a screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule is showing progress, his father Bhaskar, said on Dec 24.

Addressing the media at a hospital in Hyderabad, Bhaskar mentioned that the boy was taken off oxygen and ventilator support two days earlier.

Doctors said that his recovery will be gradual. The hospital confirmed that Sritej’s vital signs are stable and he is breathing independently.

"His sensorium is similar to spontaneous eye opening and spontaneous limb movements, but there is still no meaningful eye contact or recognition of family members," the hospital said.

The boy wakes up in response to speech stimuli but does not follow any oral directions. He is doing well with nasogastric tube feedings and has been afebrile for the past three days, according to the hospital.

"The child responded after 20 days... he is responding today," the father said.

Bhaskar's 35-year-old wife died in a stampede at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on Dec 4, and his eight-year-old son was hospitalized.

Following the event, the Hyderabad Police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theater management under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on a complaint filed by the deceased woman's relatives.

Bhaskar claimed to have received a DD for ₹10 lakh from 'Pushpa' star Allu Arjun, as well as assistance from the film's production house and Telangana cinematography minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy.

When questioned why he was willing to withdraw his complaint, Bhaskar said that he had gotten support from Allu Arjun's team since day two and that there was no pressure on him.

Meanwhile, renowned film producer and Film Development Corporation (FDC) chairman Dil Raju said that he will guarantee that the family receives support from both the film industry and the government.

Dil Raju said that he was willing to provide Bhaskar a permanent position in the film industry if he was interested.

However, the boy's rehabilitation is the top priority right now.

According to Dil Raju, CM Revanth Reddy has also expressed appreciation for the concept of providing Bhaskar with a job.

Referring to claims that the state government is not addressing the film industry's concerns over the stampede, he said that the chief minister has promised them the government's support.

Dil Raju said that a group from the film industry would meet with the CM in a day or two, and that he would work with the film fraternity and the government to maintain good relations.

The Hyderabad Police detained actor Arjun in connection with the woman's death on Dec 13.

The Telangana high court gave him a four-week interim bail on the same day, and he was released from prison on the morning of Dec 14.

Arjun spent almost three hours being questioned by the police on Dec 24.

CM Reddy has blamed Allu Arjun for the tragedy, which has caused political turmoil.

Addressing the crowd, Reddy said that due to safety concerns, police had refused permission for any event to take place at Sandhya Theatre.

Arjun responded by declaring the accusations false and defamatory and holding a press conference to deny them.

According to the actor, he complied with all police directives. On Dec 24, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai criticized Telangana CM, claiming that it is immoral to "victimize and bully" someone.