Indian woman killed, son injured critically at movie screening

A 35-year-old woman was killed and her nine-year-old son was seriously injured during the premiere of a popular movie in India on Wednesday, NDTV reports. 

'Pushpa 2: The Rule' was screened at a theatre in Hyderabad on Wednesday evening. The incident took place at Hyderabad's Sandhya Theatre as massive crowds thronged the venue to catch a glimpse of the film's lead actor, Allu Arjun.

Chaos erupted outside the theatre when fans surged to see the actor, who had arrived with music director Devi Sri Prasad for the screening. According to police, the theatre's main gate collapsed under the pressure of the crowd.

The police resorted to charging batons to control the mob. Despite efforts to maintain order, the stampede turned fatal. The injured boy was rushed to a private hospital, where he is undergoing treatment.

According to the police, thousands had gathered at the theatre not only to watch the film but also to see members of the film's production team. Additional police reinforcements were called in to prevent further escalation.