Hyderabad police arrest cine star Allu Arjun over stampede at theatre which left woman dead

HYDERABAD: Telugu cinema star Allu Arjun was arrested and taken to the Chikkadpally police station on Friday for questioning regarding the death of a woman during a stampede at Sandhya Theatre on December 4, ahead of the premiere of his highly anticipated film ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’.

Allu Arjun’s father, Allu Aravind, his brother, Allu Sirish and father-in-law Kancharla Chandrasekhar Reddy also arrived at the Chikkadpally police station.

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Allu Arjun was brought to Chikkadpally police station in Hyderabad for questioning in connection with the case of death of a woman at Sandhya theatre on December 4. pic.twitter.com/rrupOlnoWv

— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2024

The tragic incident left one woman dead and her son injured, with police later arresting three individuals in connection with the stampede.

The deceased woman, identified as 35-year-old Revathi, died from injuries sustained during the chaos when fans rushed into the theatre upon the actor’s arrival. Her son, Shreethej, was also hospitalized. Police intervened with a mild lathi charge to control the crowd, and the incident has since sparked an outpouring of grief and concern from the film industry, fans, and authorities.

Allu Arjun, who had just seen the massive success of ‘Pushpa 2’, expressed deep shock over the incident. During the film’s success meet on December 7, he shared his emotional response, stating, “The incident that took place in the Sandhya theatre is very unfortunate…I’m shocked. It took me hours to process it and respond to the incident. I couldn’t process it psychologically. It took me around 10 hours. We all blanked out when we heard the news”.

Allu Arjun also made a public pledge to meet the grieving family personally, assuring them of his support. “We will always be there and try to support the family,” he added.

Sukumar, the director of Pushpa 2, was also deeply affected by the tragedy. “I have worked for over 6 years on this film, but I’ve not been happy for 3 days now because a director is always sensitive. Irrespective of me working for 3 years or 6 years, I cannot create a life. My heart is broken due to what happened. I am very sorry for that…I apologise to the family and assure you, we will always support you”, Sukumar said, reflecting his sorrow.

Before the success meet, Allu Arjun took to social media to offer his condolences and announce a financial contribution. “We extend our deepest condolences to the family. We understand that no words or actions can ever compensate for the loss you are bearing,” he said, before pledging Rs 25 lakh in financial assistance.

In addition to the monetary support, Allu Arjun confirmed that the film’s team would also cover medical expenses for the injured.

Meanwhile, the police have also arrested three individuals, for their alleged roles in the tragic incident. These arrests followed the police investigation, which cited the dangerous crowd control practices that led to the stampede. The police have filed a case at the Chikkadpally police station under multiple sections, including provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).

Despite the tragedy surrounding the film’s premiere, ‘Pushpa 2’ has been a box-office success. As per the team of ‘Pushpa 2’, the film registered a whopping Rs 294 crore globally on the first day of its release. (ANI)