Condition of boy injured in 'Pushpa-2' theatre stampede improving, off ventilator support: Father

Hyderabad: The eight-year-old boy, who was injured in the stampede during the screening of Pushpa-2 here on December 4, was taken off oxygen and ventilator support as his condition is improving, his father has said.

Quoting doctors, Bhaskar, however, said the boy's recovery will take time.

Bhaskar also said he has received a cheque of Rs 10 lakh from Pushpa star Allu Arjun and also additional help from the Pushpa film production house and state Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy.

Asked why he expressed readiness to withdraw his complaint, he said he got support from Allu Arjun's staff the next day of the incident and that there was no pressure on him.

Meanwhile, the hospital on Tuesday said Sritej continues to maintain stable vital parameters on his own without any oxygen or ventilatory support.

"His sensorium is similar with spontaneous eye opening and spontaneous limb movements but there is still no meaningful eye contact or recognition of family members," it said in a health update.

The boy is waking on verbal stimulus but not following any oral commands. He is tolerating feeds via nasogastric tube well and is afbrile since last three days, the hospital said.

Several film personalities and political leaders are making a beeline to visit the child at the hospital.

Leading film producer and Film Development Corporation (FDC) chairman Dil Raju who visited the boy on Tuesday said he would ensure that the family gets support from the film industry and also the government.

He said he is ready to provide a permanent job to Bhaskar in the film industry if he was interested. But, the immediate priority is the boy's recovery.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has also appreciated the idea of providing a job to Bhaskar, Dil Raju said.

Referring to reports that the state government is not addressing the concerns of the film industry in the stampede issue, he said the CM has assured of the government's support.

A delegation from the film industry would meet the chief minister in a day or two, Dil Raju said, adding that he would coordinate with the film fraternity and the government to ensure cordial ties.

The 35-year-old wife of Bhaskar died during the stampede at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on December 4, while his eight-year-old son was hospitalised.

Following the incident, the city police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under different sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on the complaint lodged by the deceased woman's family.

Allu Arjun, named as accused no 11, was arrested by the city police in connection with the death of the woman on December 13. The Telangana High Court granted him a four-week interim bail on the same day and he was released from a prison here December 14 morning.