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The controversy surrounding “Pushpa 2: The Rule” premiere stampede outside a cinema hall in Hyderabad on December 4 shows no signs of simmering down with Telugu actor Allu Arjun repeatedly claiming his innocence and authorities and Telangana government blaming the actor for the mishap which led to the death of a woman and left her 8-year-old son critically injured.
The Hyderabad Police on Sunday shared CCTV footage from Sandhya Theatre, capturing Telugu actor Allu Arjun and his team exiting the premises under tight police security after the stampede broke out. This follows Allu Arjun’s statement during an impromptu press conference a day earlier, where he asserted that no police personnel had approached him at the theatre to ask him to leave.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ramesh also rejected Allu Arjun’s claim and said that the actor was informed about the stampede while he was watching the film at Sandhya Theatre. The senior police official also alleged that Allu Arjun’s team did not allow him to meet the actor in person.
“Allu Arjun’s manager, Santosh, was the first to be informed about the death while they (cast and crew) were watching the film in the theatre. We also told him that the situation was getting out of control and a boy was hospitalised. However, Santosh and others did not allow us to meet the actor,” ACP Ramesh said.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has also claimed that Allu Arjun visited the theatre for the premier despite police permission being denied. “The actor did not leave the cinema hall, prompting the police to force him out,” Reddy alleged.
The Chief Minister said that the theatre management had approached the police on December 2, requesting security arrangements for the anticipated visit of prominent actors and other guests on December 4. However, the police declined the request, citing concerns over crowd control and noting that the theatre had only a single entry and exit point.
Allu Arjun, however, refuted the allegations saying, “it was not true, and in fact, the police were clearing the way for me and I reached the venue under their directions”.
ALLU ARJUN’S HOUSE VANDALISED
On Sunday, a group of men, claiming to be members of Osmania University Joint Action Committee, stormed the Jubilee Hills residence of Allu Arjun. They threw tomatoes and smashed flower pots. The protesters raised slogans against the actor and sought justice for the woman who died in a stampede, demanding Rs 1 crore compensation.
Allu Arjun was not present at his residence when the incident occurred. The actor is yet to respond to the matter.
THE POLITICAL SLUGFEST
The matter has also ignited a political slugfest in the state, with the opposition BJP and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) slamming the Congress government for “tarnishing the image of a national award-winning actor”.
Calling the action against Allu Arjun a “state-sponsored terrorism”, BJP leader Amit Malviya alleged that the actor was being targeted for refusing to campaign for the Congress.
“Stone pelted on National Award winning actor Allu Arjun’s house. This is state-sponsored terrorism. The Congress is targeting Allu Arjun because he refused to campaign for them. He was earlier arrested in haste for a crime he didn’t commit,” Malviya posted on X.
Earlier, BRS leader KT Rama Rao also condemned the action against Allu Arjun calling it a reflection of the “insecurity of the rulers”.
“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? Treatingi Allu Arjun Garu as a common criminal is uncalled for especially for something he isn’t directly responsible,” KTR said.
“There is always space for respect and dignified conduct. I strongly condemn the high-handed behaviour of government. 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,” he added.
