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Allu Arjun was recently arrested in the case related to the death of a woman at the screening of Pushpa 2 at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad.
A woman was killed and her son was critically injured during the screening of ‘Pushpa 2’ at a theatre in Hyderabad. Actor Allu Arjun was arrested Friday night but released on bail the next morning. (Photo: PTI)
Telugu superstar Allu Arjun responded on Saturday to allegations over the stampede at the premiere of Allu Arjun’s blockbuster film ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’, which dominated discussions in the Telangana Assembly as Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi made claims about the actor.
Addressing a press conference, Allu Arjun said he had no idea about the stampede incident and only came to know about it in the next morning when a case was filed against him, due to which he could not visit the family. He also expressed condolences to the victim’s family over the “unfortunate incident”.
The movie star dismissed the allegations levelled by CM Revanth Reddy and Telangana MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi as “misinformation” and claimed that the allegations amounted to a “character assassination” against him.
Arjun was recently arrested following the death of the woman at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad during the screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule earlier this month. The woman died and her eight-year-old son was seriously injured after chaos unfolded as massive crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of the South superstar, who was attending the event alongside music director Devi Sri Prasad.
Arjun was arrested from his residence and then sent to 14-day judicial custody. He was granted interim bail for 4 weeks on a personal bond of Rs 50,000. However, delays in paperwork resulted in him spending a night in jail.
Telangana CM Slams Allu Arjun Over Stampede
Speaking on the issue in the Telangana Assembly, CM Revanth Reddy alleged that Arjun had attended the Sandhya Theatre on December 4 despite police permission being denied. He said the movie star did not leave the cinema hall even after the death of the woman in the stampede, prompting the police to force him out.
Reddy also criticised Allu Arjun for holding a roadshow and waving at the crowd alongside co-actress Rashmika Mandanna despite the overwhelming number of people, which risked a stampede. He said the theatre management gave a letter to the police on December 2 seeking security for the visit of top actors and others on the ill-fated day.
However, the police had denied the application citing difficulties in crowd management. Despite this, Allu Arjun attended the premiere and waved to the crowds from the sunroof of his car, leading to thousands of his fans to get a glimpse of him, said Reddy in the Assembly.
The CM also slammed film personalities who expressed sympathy with Arjun after his arrest and flocked to his residence to meet him, but did not any empathy towards the eight-year-old boy who suffered injuries during the stampede and is undergoing treatment in the hospital.
What Did Allu Arjun Say On CM’s Allegations?
Reacting to the stampede incident on December 4, Arjun said, “It is a very unfortunate incident. It is completely an accident. My condolences to the family. I am taking updates every hour about the condition of the child (hospitalised). His condition is improving, it is very good.”
The actor referred to the allegations against him in the Telangana Assembly, saying, “There is a lot of misinformation, false allegations are being made. I don’t want to blame any department or politician. It is humiliating. My character is being assassinated.”
He further said that on the day of the stampede, he was informed that it was overcrowded and was asked to leave, which he did immediately. He also said he wanted to celebrate the movie’s success but has not been able to leave his home for the last 15 days due to legal charges against him.
Allu Arjun Said Movie Would Be Hit After Stampede: Owaisi
Akbaruddin Owaisi slammed Allu Arjun for “irresponsible” behaviour following the stampede at the premiere in Hyderabad that caused the death of a 39-year-old woman and culminated in Allu Arjun’s arrest. Owaisi claimed the actor said the movie will be “a hit” after the stampede and the woman’s death.
Speaking in the Telangana Assembly, Owaisi said Arjun displayed a lack of responsibility when even after the stampede had occurred, he watched the movie and waved to the crowd from his vehicle during his return. “He does not even bother to check on them and the family. I also go for public meetings where thousands come, but I make sure no stampede-like incidents happen,” he said.
“I do not want to name that famous film star, but as per my knowledge, when that film star was told that there was a stampede outside the theatre, two children had fallen and a woman had died, then that star smiled and said that ‘the film is going to be a hit now,'” Owaisi alleged.
Owaisi did not elaborate on how he got the information. This was the first time such a claim was made in public in relation to the incident.
Meanwhile, Arjun had earlier shed light on the reason behind not visiting the boy yet. Taking to his Instagram, Allu wrote, “I remain deeply concerned about young Sri Tej, who is under constant medical care after the unfortunate incident. Due to the ongoing legal proceedings, I have been advised not to visit him and his family at this time. My prayers remain with them and I remain committed to taking responsibility for addressing the medical and family needs. I wish him a speedy recovery, and I look forward to meeting him and his family at the earliest.”
(with agency inputs)
