Hyderabad : Telugu cinema star Allu Arjun was arrested on Friday in connection with the tragic stampede that occurred at Sandhya Theatre on December 4 during the premiere of his film, 'Pushpa 2: The Rule'. He will has now been taken to the hospital for the medical test.
Allu Arjun spoke to his counsel to request the High Coourt for urgent hearing. Earlier, Allu Arjun had approached the HC seeking to quash FIR registered against him.
The incident, which led to the death of one woman and injuries to her son, prompted a police investigation, culminating in the arrest of three individuals, and now the actor himself.
Confirming the arrest, L. Ramesh Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Chikkadpally, stated, "Yes, he (Actor Allu Arjun) has been arrested."
The actor was brought to the Chikkadpally police station for questioning in connection with the incident. His father, Allu Aravind, brother Allu Sirish, and father-in-law Kancharla Chandrasekhar Reddy were also present at the station during the proceedings.
The arrest has stirred controversy, with several public figures expressing their opinions on the matter. K. T. Rama Rao, working president of the Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi and former state minister, condemned the arrest on his official social media account.
He wrote, "Arrest of National Award-winning star Allu Arjun is the pinnacle of insecurity of the rulers! I totally sympathize with the victims of the stampede but who failed really? Treating @alluarjun Garu as a common criminal is uncalled for especially for something he isn't directly responsible. There is always space for respect & dignified conduct. I strongly condemn the high-handed behavior of Govt."
https://x.com/ktrbrs/status/1867480142085578958? Rama Rao also drew a parallel to another incident in Hyderabad, questioning the accountability of other political figures, adding, "Going by the same perverse logic, Revanth Reddy should be arrested for causing the death of two innocent people who died in Hyderabad because of the fear psychosis caused by Hydra."
The stampede occurred when fans rushed into Sandhya Theatre following Allu Arjun's arrival ahead of the film's premiere. The deceased woman, identified as Revathi, aged 35, was fatally injured during the chaos. Her son, Shreethej, was also hospitalized with injuries. Police attempted to control the crowd with a mild lathi charge, but the incident resulted in public shock and grief.
In the aftermath, Allu Arjun expressed his devastation over the incident. At the film's success meet on December 7, he shared his emotional response, saying, "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 assured the grieving family of his support, stating, "We will always be there and try to support the family." Director Sukumar, who worked alongside Allu Arjun on 'Pushpa 2', also expressed his deep sorrow over the loss. "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, visibly shaken by the tragic event.
Before the success meet, Allu Arjun had used social media to offer his condolences. He also pledged financial assistance to the deceased woman's family. "We extend our deepest condolences to the family. We understand that no words or actions can ever compensate for the loss you are bearing," Allu Arjun wrote.
He announced a contribution of Rs 25 lakh, along with coverage of the injured son's medical expenses. In addition to the arrest of Allu Arjun, the police apprehended three individuals connected to the incident. M. Sandeep, one of the owners of Sandhya Theatre, senior manager M. Nagaraju, and Gandhakam Vijay Chander, the in-charge of the theatre's lower balcony, were arrested for their alleged roles in the stampede. The police filed a case at Chikkadpally police station, citing dangerous crowd management practices that contributed to the tragic event.