Hyderabad:

The Ramgopalpet Police Station in Hyderabad has issued a notice to popular actor Allu Arjun, advising him not to visit KIMS Hospital at Secundarabad to see the boy who was injured in the stampede at Sandhya Theatre.

“In view of the heightened public interest in this matter, and to ensure minimal disruption to the hospital’s operations and other patients, we recommend you to reconsider this public visit,” reads a notice issued by the Station House Officer, Ramgopalpet Police Station.

The actor apparently dropped his plans to visit the hospital on Sunday morning after receipt of the notice.

Allu Arjun reportedly planned to visit the hospital after his appearance at Chikkadpally Police Station on Sunday as per the conditions laid down by a city court while granting him regular bail.

The notice further states that if the actor still intends to visit the hospital, his management should coordinate with hospital authorities and police to plan his entry and exist in such a way that minimises inconvenience to the hospital inmates and the general public.

Allu Arjun was also advised to maintain his confidentiality to prevent any gathering of the public/media at the premises which could disturb the peaceful environs of the hospital.

The actor was warned that in case of lack of cooperation from his side, he would be held solely responsible for any negative consequences of his visit to the hospital.

Eight-year-old Sri Tej, who was injured in the stampede at Sandhya Theatre during the premier show of ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ on December 4, is still undergoing treatment at KIMS Hospital.

Sri Tej’s mother, Revathi, was killed in the stampede, which triggered a huge row with the police booking the actor, his team and theatre management for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The police had claimed that Allu Arjun visited the theatre without permission and conducted a ‘roadshow’ which led to the tragedy.

The actor also came under criticism from various quarters for not consoling the family of the the person who died or visiting the injured boy at the hospital.

The actor’s father and producer Allu Arvind visited the hospital twice. During his last visit on December 25, he presented a cheque of Rs 2 crore to the victim’s family.

While Allu Arjun has given Rs 1 crore, Mythri Movies, the producers of the movie, have extended an assistance of Rs 50 lakh. The film’s director, Sukumar, has also given Rs 50 lakh to the family.

Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13 in the case. He was presented before Nampally court, which remanded him to 14-day judicial custody.

The same day, Telangana High Court granted him interim bail for four weeks. He was released from jail the next day.

On January 3, Nampally Court granted regular bail to the actor. As per one of the bail conditions, he has to report to Chikkadpally Police Station every Sunday.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Hyderabad:

Refusing to blame Telangana Police for the action against actor Allu Arjun in the theatre stampede case, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said the law is equal for all and police must act with public safety in mind. Mr Kalyan, leader of NDA ally Janasena Party, praised Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy as a “great leader” and suggested that Allu Arjun should have visited the family of the woman killed in the stampede earlier.

Speaking to reporters in an informal interaction at Mangalagiri, Mr Kalyan shared his perspective on the stampede incident at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre on December 4.

Allu Arjun visited the theatre where his movie Pushpa 2 was being screened. The film star’s visit led to chaos. A 35-year-old woman, Revathi, died in the incident and her son was injured. Soon after, Hyderabad police registered a case against Allu Arjun. He was arrested and granted bail shortly after.

Mr Kalyan today said it was important for law enforcement authorities to prioritise public safety. “The law is equal for all, and I do not blame the police in such incidents, they act with public safety in mind. That said, the theater staff should have informed Allu Arjun earlier about any issues. Once he sat in the seat, they should have instructed him to vacate it if necessary.”

Mr Kalyan is related to Allu Arjun. Allu Arjun’s aunt Surekha is married to renowned actor Chiranjeevi, Pawan Kalyan’s elder brother.

“It would have been better if someone had visited the victim’s family earlier on behalf of Allu Arjun. Revathi’s death in this incident has deeply shocked me. They turned what was already lost into an even greater tragedy. We should have conveyed earlier that we are all here to support the family. There should have been a sense of regret for the mistake, even if it happened without their direct involvement. There is a clear lack of humanity in this matter. Everyone should have gone to Revathi’s house to offer reassurance and condolences. The people’s anger stems from the absence of such a gesture. Arjun, too, feels the pain of knowing that someone lost their life because of this incident,” Mr Kalyan said.

Cinema, he said, is a collaborative effort. :It is not fair to make Allu Arjun solely responsible for the incident. Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, in his capacity as Chief Minister, responded appropriately to the developments following the stampede. Sometimes, decisions are dictated by circumstances. In the past, even Chiranjeevi used to watch movies with his fans. Otherwise, he would wear a mask and go to the theater alone.”

The Andhra Deputy Chief Minister described Telangana Chief Minister Reddy as a leader who has risen from humble beginnings. “Telangana CM Revanth Reddy is a great leader, who has risen from humble beginnings. He did not do like YSRCP, but instead focused on providing benefits in his state. Flexibility was granted for increasing ticket prices, which boosted movie collections. Films like Salaar and Pushpa 2 achieved massive box office success with his cooperation.”

The Sandhya Theatre incident has divided public opinion, with many questioning how Allu Arjun could be blamed for the stampede death and another section arguing that he cannot escape accountability just because he is a film star.

Amid the face-off, a delegation from the Telugu film industry met Chief Minister Reddy. The Chief Minister, it is learnt, told the delegation that the industry has full support of the state government, but there will be no compromise on law and order. “As the Chief Minister, it is my responsibility to enforce the law. I do not have any personal preferences,” sources quoted the Chief Minister as saying.

Telugu actor Allu Arjun on Sunday said that he was “deeply” concerned about the boy who was critically injured during the stampede at a Hyderabad theatre screening the film ‘Pushpa 2’ earlier this month. According to the actor, he cannot meet the boy, whose mother died in the stampede, due to legal proceedings.

“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,” he wrote in an Instagram post.

He also wished the boy a speedy recovery, adding that he looked forward to meeting him.

“I wish him a speedy recovery, and I look forward to meeting him and his family at the earliest,” he wrote.

The actor’s comment came two days after he was slammed online for “celebrating” his bail as pictures of his happy faces while meeting his friends and family went viral.

Allu Arjun was granted bail for four weeks on Saturday, a day after he spent the night in jail in connection with the ‘Pushpa 2’ screening stampede case. As the actor returned home, several top celebrities including Naga Chaitanya, Rana Daggubati, and Vijay Deverekonda met him at his Jubilee Hills residence in Hyderabad.

‘Pushpa 2’ screening stampede case 

On December 4, a stampede broke out at a theatre in Hyderabad screening ‘Pushpa 2’ when Allu Arjun made what the police called an “unscheduled” visit to the auditorium. A woman was killed and her son, Sri Tej, was injured. According to a private hospital where the boy is undergoing treatment, he is currently in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit on ventilatory support with minimal requirements.

“He is hemodynamically stable and tolerating tube feedings. But he has an intermittent fever and is still in altered sensorium and has dystonic movements,” the hospital said.

Following the incident, the Hyderabad police had registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the management of the theatre, based on a complaint filed by the victim’s husband. According to the police, there was no intimation from the theatre management or the actor’s team that they would be visiting the theatre.

The theatre owner, general manager, and security manager were arrested on December 8.