04 December,2025 05:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Allu Arjun
A year ago, on December 4, the team of Pushpa 2 was enthusiastically gearing up for the release of the Allu Arjun-starrer. The stage was set, and a grand fan premiere was arranged in Hyderabad the evening before its theatrical release. However, things took a turn for the worse and a stampede broke out outside the theatre as the lead actor made an appearance. A woman lost her life in the stampede, and her son was hospitalised in critical condition. The child, Sritej, 8, is still recovering, and his family is struggling financially.
Sritej was critically injured during the stampede that claimed his mother's life. He was hospitalised for 146 days at KIMS Hospital and was later moved to a neuro-rehabilitation centre for continued care. A year after the tragic night, Sritej's father, Magudampalli Bhaskar, spoke to ABN about their current situation. He stated that his son requires Rs 90,000 every month for treatment, apart from additional expenses.
Bhaskar said that even after a year, his son cannot eat, drink, or breathe properly on his own. He used to work at a gold shop but had to quit to look after his son. He said all of his son's medical needs amount to around Rs 1.25 lakh per month.
Bhaskar also confirmed that Allu Arjun made a deposit of Rs 2 crore, but the interest isn't covering their ever-increasing expenses. He revealed that he tried reaching out to the Pushpa 2 star and his team for further assistance, as they had promised to take care of Sritej's treatment and recovery. He added that Rs 3 lakh was spent on his son's leg surgeries alone this year. The father claimed he did not receive any response from the actor or his team.
Producer Bunny Vyas recently addressed the matter at a press event on Thursday. When asked if the claims of Allu Arjun ignoring Sritej's father were true, he said, "This is not the stage, please. There are many pedda manushulu (respectable people) in between. Anything that we're doing, we're doing it through Dil Raju garu."
He further explained that Allu Arjun has no direct contact with them, but the victim's family can reach out to people close to the actor. "Keeping aside whether we managed to satisfy them or not, we are following particular guidelines. We are determining where the fund should be allocated, including its use for medical purposes and other considerations. We put a system in place. If they are dissatisfied or the money isn't enough, they can speak to the pedda manushulu. We will correct any issues that need attention. It's not a direct thing," said the producer.
After the stampede, Allu Arjun's father, producer Allu Aravind, announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 crore for the victim's family. This includes Rs 1 crore from the actor and Rs 50 lakh each from producers Mythri Movie Makers and director Sukumar. Telangana Film Development Corporation (TGFDC) chairman and producer Dil Raju was appointed as mediator to hand over the amount. The actor also promised to cover the victim's medical expenses.
