Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan has come out in support of Telugu actor Allu Arjun after he was arrested in connection with the Sandhya theater stampede case in which one woman died. While promoting his film, Varun Dhawan said “blame can’t be placed on just one person.”

“Safety protocols can’t be solely the responsibility of an actor. We can inform people around us. The incident was tragic and I express my condolences, but blame can’t be placed on just one person,” he said.

#WATCH | Jaipur, Rajasthan | On the arrest of actor Allu Arjun over the death of a woman in Sandhya theatre, actor Varun Dhawan says, “The actor cannot take the sole responsibility of the safety protocols. You can only tell the people around you…The incident was tragic. I… pic.twitter.com/mGYzgQbflt

— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2024

Reportedly, actor and former minister Konidela Chiranjeevi cancelled his shoot for Vishwabhara and visited Allu Arjun’s house to express solidarity.

For the unaccustomed, on December 4, Allu Arjun and music director Devi Sr Prasad made a surprise visit to the Sandhya theatre during the screening of his movie ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’. A stampede broke as people rushed to catch a glimpse of the megastar. A 35-year-old woman named Revathi died while her nine-year-old son suffered injuries in the stampede.

The Hyderabad Police registered a case against the actor, his security team and the theater management, basis a complaint by the victim’s family.

Allu Arjun has been charged by the Hyderabad Police with culpable homicide not amounting to murder and voluntarily causing hurt.

The actor was arrested this morning from his house in Jubilee Hills and taken to the Chikkadpally Police Station. The actor’s father – well-known filmmaker Allu Arvind – and other family members were present at the time of the arrest.

According to the Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand, there was no intimation from the theatre management or the actors’ team that they would be visiting. The unscheduled visit and lack of security arrangements lead to the stampede.

Hyderabad:

Telugu actor Allu Arjun has been arrested in connection with the stampede outside a Hyderabad theatre last week in which one woman was killed. Shortly after he was taken into custody Mr Arjun filed a petition seeking to delay his arrest till Monday; the court hearing will take place at 2.30 pm.

Mr Arjun was taken from his Jubilee Hills home to the Chikkadpally Police Station. The actor’s father – well-known filmmaker Allu Arvind – and other family members were present when he was arrested.

Hyderabad Police had earlier filed a case against the 41-year-old star and several others, including members of his security team and the management of the Sandhya Theatre in the city.

READ | Viral Video Shows ‘Pushpa 2‘ Star Allu Arjun’s Arrest By Police

#WATCH | Telangana: L Ramesh Kumar, ACP Chikkadpally says, “Yes, he (Actor Allu Arjun) has been arrested.”

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

On December 11, he moved the Telangana High Court, seeking orders to quash the case.

Charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and voluntarily causing hurt were filed.

The investigation now will focus on two questions – did Mr Arjun have police permission to appear at the theatre that was holding a special showing of his ‘Pusha 2: The Rule‘, and did he have permission to interact with fans outside the theatre, which is in an area home to other cinema halls.

Pushpa 2 Stampede

The stampede broke after the hugely popular actor made an unscheduled appearance at the theatre showing his new film ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule‘. A 35-year-old woman was killed and her nine-year-old son was injured as the massive crowd jostled and shoved each other to catch a glimpse of Allu Arjun on his unannounced arrival; Allu Arjun and the film’s music director, Devi Sr Prasad, arrived unexpectedly.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand had said then, “There was no intimation from the side of theatre management or actors’ team… that they will be visiting the theatre…” and noted also that no separate entry, or exit, had been provided, even though the theatre knew they were coming.

According to the police, Mr Arjun arrived at the theatre at 9.30 pm. As news of his arrival – he used the main entrance and spent 15-20 minutes outside – spread, hundreds of people thronged to catch a glimpse of him. His security team started pushing the crowd back and that aggravated the situation.

The woman, identified as Revathi, and her son felt “suffocated”, the police said. They were pulled out of the crowd by police who performed emergency first aid and shifted them to a nearby hospital.

Mr Arjun, by this time, had gone into the theatre, but the crowd had continued building in the lobby.

Responding to the stampede and the woman’s death, Arjun later said on X, “Deeply heartbroken by the tragic incident… My heartfelt condolences go out to the grieving family during this unimaginably difficult time. I want to assure them they are not alone in this pain and will meet the family personally.”

READ | Allu Arjun Offers Rs 25 Lakh Aid To Family Of Woman Killed

Mr Arjun also announced assistance of Rs 25 lakh for the woman’s family, and also promised to take care of the medical expenses of the boy, whose condition was critical.

The tragic stampede sparked widespread criticism, with many calling for stricter regulations around celebrity events to prevent such tragedies.

With input from agencies

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