Child injured in stampede at Hyderabad theatre remains critical

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Hyderabad, Dec 17 (IANS) The condition of nine-year-old Sri Tej, who was injured during a stampede at a theatre in Hyderabad during the premier show of ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’, remained critical.

The boy remained in the Intensive Care Unit at KIMS Hospital. According to doctors, he was on mechanical ventilation with minimal support of oxygen and pressures.

“His fever is reducing and on minimal inotropes, his vital parameters are stable. He is tolerating feeds well,” said a statement from the hospital.

“In view of static neurological status, tracheostomy is being planned to facilitate weaning from the ventilator,” said doctors.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner C. V. Anand and Telangana Government Health Secretary Dr. Christina visited KIMS Hospital on behalf of the Telangana Government to inquire about the health condition of Sri Tej who was injured in the stampede at Sandhya Theatre two weeks ago.

Speaking on the occasion, the Commissioner said that Sri Tej was brain-dead due to lack of breathing during the stampede and that it would take a long time to recover. He said that the doctors have informed him that the child is being treated with ventilator support and that the treatment is likely to be prolonged.

Health Secretary Dr Christina said that they are monitoring the health condition of Shri Teja regularly and hope for his speedy recovery.

The stampede occurred at Sandhya Theatre at RTC X Roads on December 4 during the premier show which was attended by the film’s hero Allu Arjun.

According to police, Mogudampalli Revathi (35) and her 9-year-old son Tej felt suffocated due to the large public influx in the theatre along with the actor. Police personnel on duty pulled them out, performed CPR and rushed them to a hospital where Revathi was declared dead.

Police have booked theatre management, Allu Arjun and his team for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Police arrested Allu Arjun on December 13. A city court had sent him to judicial custody for 14 days. However, Telangana High Court granted him interim bail the same day. The actor, who was listed as accused number 11 in the case, was released from jail the next morning.

Three other accused in the case, who were arrested earlier, were also released on bail.

–IANS

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At an event held at the Sarusajai Sports Complex in Guwahati, the CM distributed ration cards to 14,328 beneficiaries from 4,535 families in the Guwahati Central assembly seat and to 16,411 beneficiaries from 4,759 families in the Jalukbari constituency.

Sarma highlighted the steadfast commitment of the current State government to ensuring that the needy have regular access to rice.

He noted that the NFSA was implemented in Assam in December 2015, with the aim of safeguarding the nutritional needs of approximately 2.51 crore beneficiaries. He emphasised that 85 per cent of rural residents and 60 per cent of urban inhabitants should be entitled to ration cards.

Sarma said that following the linking of ration cards with Aadhaar, an additional 60 lakh cards have been issued, thus facilitating the distribution of free rice via biometric verification.

He commended the successful implementation of the “One Nation, One Ration Card” scheme, which has been in place for the past three years, allowing beneficiaries to access provisions from anywhere in the country.

The Chief Minister clarified that ration cards must be collected between the 1st and 10th of each month, and reassured the public that no fraudulent claims would be entertained, as the government has made substantial efforts to ensure that deserving families receive their entitlements

CM Sarma stated that in the 2023-24 fiscal year, 42,85,745 new beneficiaries have been included, with 10,73,489 new families receiving ration cards in January alone, benefitting more than 52 lakh people.

He explained that the state Cabinet had made a decision to issue 20 lakh new ration cards, which were distributed equitably across constituencies to ensure no one was excluded.

He added that starting today, seven lakh individuals in 49 constituencies would receive new ration cards, thereby securing 35 lakh kilograms of rice for the needy.

Moreover, Sarma noted that 19,92,167 individuals would receive their ration cards within the month across the remaining 76 constituencies.

The Chief Minister also said that families holding ration cards would be eligible for free medical treatment up to Rs five lakh at government hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat and Ayushman Assam schemes.

He further stated: “Even those without health cards could access healthcare by simply presenting their ration cards at hospitals. Additionally, ration cardholders would be able to access cooking gas through the Ujjwala scheme. The state government has taken steps to select beneficiaries for the Orunodoi scheme through a selection process, which will run until December 28.”

Meanwhile, Sarma mentioned that to prevent fraudulent claims, the Orunodoi scheme would be linked with ration cards.

–IANS

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School job case: Charge framing at special PMLA court in Kolkata likely on Monday

Kolkata, Dec 21 (IANS) The process of framing of charges in the case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the cash-for-school job case in West Bengal is expected to be completed at a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata on December 23.

However, the only factor that might delay the process is the eventuality of the ED not being able to ensure that all those shown as accused by the central agency in subsequent charge sheets by the agency are physically present at the court at the time of framing of charges.

Sources said that the two accused persons whose physical presence at the court is uncertain are Sujay Krishna Bhadra and Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya, the son-in-law of former West Bengal education minister and Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee, also an accused in the case.

The uncertainties over Bhattacharya’s presence are over the factor that he is currently settled abroad with his wife and Chatterjee’s daughter Sohini Bhattacharya Chatterjee.

However, sources added that the local counsel of Bhattacharya has already intimated the court that he had made all the arrangements to come to India and be present at the court on Monday.

Similarly, uncertainties over Bhadra’s presence are over his recent track record of skipping his physical presence at court on medical grounds.

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Of the 54 shown as accused by the ED in the school- job case, 29 are individuals and 25 are entities, corporates or trusts.

As per protocol, at the time of framing of the charge sheet while all the 29 accused individuals will have to be present physically, any representative of the accused entities will also have to be present.

After the completion of the process of framing charge, the trial process in the matter will begin. There are indications from the special court that the trial process in the matter will be on a daily basis.

–IANS

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