A nine-year-old boy critically injured in a stampede at Sandhya Theatre during the premiere of Pushpa 2 on December 4 is showing signs of improvement, according to his father, Mogudampalli Bhaskar.
The boy had been in a coma since being admitted to KIMS Hospital in Secunderabad early on December 5.
“At times, he responds. He is opening his eyes for a few seconds. This is the first time he has started responding since he was admitted,” Bhaskar said, The Indian Express reported.
The boy’s mother, 39-year-old M Revathi, lost her life in the stampede. Bhaskar recounted that during the chaos, he and his eight-year-old daughter got separated. It was only hours later that he learned of his wife’s death and his son’s hospitalisation.
Medical updates
Dr Chetan R Mundada and Dr Vishnu Tej Pudi, who are monitoring the child’s recovery, stated his vital parameters remain stable without oxygen or ventilatory support. However, there is no meaningful eye contact or recognition of family members yet.
“He is waking on verbal stimulus but not following any oral commands. He has intermittent dystonic movements and stiffness in his limbs for which medicines are being given. He needs intermittent suctioning of the tracheostomy tube. He is tolerating feeds via nasogastric tube well and has been febrile since the last three days,” the doctor said.
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The child, initially unresponsive, was revived on the scene by police constables who performed CPR before taking him to Durga Bai Deshmukh Hospital. He was later shifted to KIMS for advanced care.
Support and aid
Producers of Pushpa 2, Y Naveen and Ravi Shankar, visited the hospital and provided Bhaskar with financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh. The Telangana government is covering all medical expenses, Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy confirmed.
The stampede took place when crowds surged to catch a glimpse of actor Allu Arjun, who attended the premiere. Authorities are investigating the incident, which has sparked widespread concern over crowd management at large events.