It has been one year since the tragic incident at Sandhya Theatre, during the release of Pushpa 2, where a stampede claimed the life of an 8-year-old boy Sritej’s mother and left the boy critically injured.
Where is Sritej now?
At the time of the incident, Sritej, then just eight years old, suffered severe injuries and remained in critical condition for several months.
He spent 146 days in KIMS Hospital, receiving intensive treatment before being shifted to a neuro-rehabilitation centre for long-term medical care.
Now, a year later, his father Magudampalli Bhaskar, in an interview with ABN, revealed the difficult reality:
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Sritej cannot eat, drink, or breathe properly on his own
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He requires ₹90,000 per month for treatment
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The family’s total monthly medical expenditure is nearly ₹1.25 lakh
Bhaskar, who earlier worked at a gold shop, had to give up his job to care full-time for his disabled son, daughter, and elderly mother. Overwhelmed with responsibility, he stated:
“Everything my son needs medically is extremely expensive. I tried contacting Allu Arjun’s team for help, but I received no response.”
He further shared that ₹3 lakh was spent on surgeries on Sritej’s legs alone this year.
What about Allu Arjun’s promised support?
Bhaskar confirmed that the family did receive a ₹2 crore ex gratia deposit, but the interest generated is not sufficient to cover the mounting medical costs.
Allu Arjun’s team responds
A spokesperson for Allu Arjun, speaking to Hindustan Times, reiterated producer Bunny Vas’s earlier statement:
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There are “pedda manushulu” (senior mediators) handling all communication
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All assistance is being channeled through producer Dil Raju
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The process follows a structured guideline, not a direct personal communication system
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If the family is unhappy with fund distribution, they can approach the mediators
Bunny Vas added:
“We established a system to allocate funds properly. If any issue is there, we will correct it, but everything must go through the proper channels.”
What was initially promised?
After the December 4, 2024 incident:
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Allu Arjun was arrested and later released on interim bail
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His father, Allu Aravind, announced a ₹2 crore ex gratia
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₹1 crore from Allu Arjun
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₹50 lakh each from Mythri Movie Makers and director Sukumar
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Dil Raju was appointed mediator
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Allu Arjun also promised to take care of all medical expenses
One year later, however, the family claims the support system is not sufficient for Sritej’s ongoing needs.
