HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad residence of ‘Pushpa’ actor Allu Arjun was pelted with stones following allegations that he was responsible for the chaos at Sandhya Theatre, which led to the death of a woman on December 4.
The tensions heightened after public statements were exchanged between the actor and the government. According to Jubilee Hills Police, members of the Osmania University Joint Action Committee (OUJAC) staged a protest outside Allu Arjun’s residence on Sunday, holding placards and chanting slogans. However, neither the actor nor his family has filed a complaint thus far. Further updates are awaited from the Jubilee Hills Police.
Visuals circulating online show broken pots, shattered glass, and damaged plants outside Allu Arjun’s home, reportedly caused by the stone pelting.
Earlier in the day, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy stated in the Assembly that the police had denied permission for any event at Sandhya Theatre due to safety concerns. However, despite these warnings, Allu Arjun allegedly attended the premiere, climbed onto his car roof, and conducted a roadshow at RTC X Road, which triggered the chaos.
“On December 2, Akbaruddin Owaisi requested arrangements for the cast and crew of Pushpa 2 to attend the film’s release at Sandhya Theatre on December 4,” Reddy said. “On December 3, the Chikkadpally Circle Inspector rejected the request in writing, citing the theatre’s location in a congested area with only one entry and exit point, which made it difficult to ensure safety. Nevertheless, the actor attended the event, climbed onto his car roof, and conducted a roadshow, worsening the situation.”
The Chief Minister further detailed how the police intervened during the stampede. “The ACP initially requested the actor to leave to control the crowd, but he refused, stating he would leave after watching the movie. The DCP later had to intervene, warning that he would be arrested if he didn’t comply. Even while leaving, he repeated the act of climbing onto the car roof and waving to fans.”
Addressing the incident on December 4, Allu Arjun expressed his condolences. “It was a tragic accident, and my heart goes out to the family. I’ve been monitoring the condition of the injured child, and I’m relieved to hear he is improving. There has been a lot of misinformation and false allegations. I do not wish to blame any department or politician. This is deeply distressing for me.”
The actor dismissed the allegations of misconduct, calling them an attempt at “character assassination.” He said, “I have worked in the film industry for 20 years, and this incident has been devastating. I haven’t even watched my film in the theatre despite working on it for three years. I deeply apologise for the incident but want to clarify that I had no direct involvement in the unfortunate events.”
Through an Instagram post, Allu Arjun urged his fans to maintain decorum and avoid abusive behaviour or language, both online and offline.
The tragedy occurred on December 4 when Allu Arjun attended the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule. A massive crowd gathered to see him, and the situation escalated when he waved to fans from the sunroof of his car. This resulted in the death of a woman named Revathi and injuries to her child. Following the incident, Allu Arjun was arrested and later released on bail after furnishing a Rs 50,000 bond.
The film, directed by Sukumar, is the sequel to the blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise. (ANI)