A 35-year-old woman died and her nine-year-old son was hospitalised due to asphyxiation during a stampede-like situation at a film theatre in Hyderabad during the premiere show of actor Allu Arjun’s “Pushpa 2: The Rule”, police said on Thursday, adding a case has been registered against the Telugu superstar and theatre management.

The incident took place on Wednesday night when a large crowd of fans thronged the Sandhya Theatre at the busy RTC Crossroads to have a glimpse of the actor, they added.

The deceased has been identified as Revathi, police said. She was accompanied by her son Sri Teja who also suffered suffocation and is being treated in a hospital where he is kept under 48-hour observation.

Also Read | Allu Arjun to be booked for stampede at Pushpa 2 premiere that left fan dead

“There was no intimation either from the side of theatre management or actors’ team that they would be visiting the theatre. The theatre management did not make any additional provisions regarding security to manage crowd, nor was there any separate entry or exit for the actors’ team, though the theatre management had information about their arrival,” deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Akshansh Yadav said.

After Allu Arjun reached the theatre along with his personal security, people tried to enter the cinema hall with him, the senior officer said. “His personal security team started pushing the public which further aggravated the situation as there was already a huge gathering at the theatre,” the DCP added.

Due to the heavy crowd, there was a near stampede-like situation on the theatre premises. Revathi and Sri Teja, who were caught in the crowd, suffered suffocation, police said.

“Police personnel who were on duty immediately pulled them out of the public from the lower balcony and performed cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on them,” Yadav said, adding they were rushed to the hospital, where Revathi died during treatment while her son has been kept under 48-hour observation.

Meanwhile, a case against the actor, his security team and the theatre management, under sections 105 and 118(1) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered at the Chikkadpally police station based on the complaint by the deceased’s family, police said.

Mythri Movie Makers, who produced the sequel to the 2021 film ‘Pushpa: The Rise’, expressed shock over the death of the woman at Sandhya theatre.

“We are extremely heartbroken by the tragic incident during last night’s screening. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and the young child undergoing medical treatment,” it posted on X. “We are committed to standing by them and extending all possible support during this difficult time.”