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While Allu Arjun continues to face scrutiny over the Sandhya Theatre stampede incident — which claimed the life of a woman and left her son hospitalised with severe injuries during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule — a tragic turn of events marred the pre-release event of his cousin Ram Charan’s upcoming film Game Changer as well. In an unfortunate incident, two youths lost their lives in a road accident while returning home after attending the event in Rajahmundry (officially Rajamahendravaram), Andhra Pradesh, on Saturday. The event was also attended by Charan and Arjun’s uncle, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and actor “Power Star” Pawan Kalyan.
The victims, identified as Arava Manikantha (23) and Thokada Charan (22), were travelling on a bike when a van collided head-on with their vehicle near Vadisaleru at around 9.30 pm on Saturday, India Today reported. Although they were rushed to Peddapuram Hospital, both succumbed to their injuries. The young men were residents of Kakinada district.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to each bereaved family. In a statement released to the media, he expressed his grief over the incident and also criticised the previous state government for neglecting critical infrastructure, specifically the ADB Road, a key route connecting Kakinada and Rajamahendravaram.
“It is deeply saddening to learn about this incident. The deceased, Mr Arava Manikantha and Mr Thokada Charan from Gaigolupadu in Kakinada district were returning home on a two-wheeler on Saturday night. Unfortunately, a speeding vehicle collided with their bike, resulting in their untimely death. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of Mr Manikantha and Mr Charan,” Kalyan said in the official release to the media, news agency PTI reported.
“On behalf of the Jana Sena Party, we will provide financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to each of the bereaved families. I have also instructed my office officials to ensure that the government extends adequate support to the families,” he noted.
Kalyan also addressed the road’s condition, stating, “The ADB road is a crucial route for travel between Kakinada and Rajamahendravaram. The previous government neglected the expansion and reconstruction of this road, failing to even carry out basic maintenance work. The coalition government (headed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu) has initiated repair and reconstruction works on the ADB road. However, this tragic incident during the repair phase is deeply distressing. It is especially heartbreaking to note that the deceased were returning home from the Game Changer pre-release event when the accident occurred. Ironically, the event had emphasized road safety, urging attendees multiple times to travel safely.”
Meanwhile, Game Changer producer Dil Raju announced financial aid of Rs 10 lakh to the victims’ families. “Producer Dil Raju garu announced Rs 10 lakh and assured support to the families of the two individuals who tragically lost their lives in the accident following the Game Changer event. Our deepest condolences to their loved ones in this difficult time,” read a statement from Sri Venkateswara Creations on their official X (formerly Twitter) account. Directed by S Shankar, Game Changer will hit the screens on January 10.
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