Telugu superstar Allu Arjun appeared before the Hyderabad Police on Monday in connection with the December 4 Sandhya Theatre stampede that left a woman dead and her son injured. The incident occurred during the premiere of Arjun’s highly anticipated film Pushpa 2: The Rule, sparking controversy and legal troubles for the actor.
The chaos at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre unfolded when an overwhelming crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of Allu Arjun, who waved to fans from the sunroof of his car. The crowd’s excitement escalated into a stampede-like situation, resulting in the death of a woman named Revathi and injuries to her child.
The Hyderabad Police had reportedly denied permission for the actor’s visit to the theater, but the event proceeded, leading to the fatal incident. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, addressing the Assembly, criticized Arjun for conducting a roadshow and interacting with fans despite the denied permissions.
Allu Arjun’s legal troubles began with his arrest on December 13, after which he was remanded to 14-day judicial custody. However, the Telangana High Court granted him bail the following day.
The controversy deepened on Sunday evening when members of the Osmania University Joint Action Committee (OU-JAC) protested outside Arjun’s residence in Jubilee Hills. Protesters holding placards threw tomatoes and damaged property, prompting police to register a case against six individuals. All were granted bail on Monday.
This incident has also triggered a political blame game. The BJP and BRS criticized the Congress government, alleging the attackers had ties to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s Kodangal assembly constituency. Reddy, in turn, accused Allu Arjun of flouting police directives and creating a situation that led to the tragedy.
The actor has refuted allegations of any wrongdoing, maintaining that he did not conduct a roadshow or knowingly violate police orders. His team has denied responsibility for the stampede, attributing it to crowd mismanagement.
The controversy surrounding Arjun has left his fans divided. While some support the actor and blame the incident on inadequate crowd control, others have criticized his actions as reckless.
