Hyderabad:

Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand on Sunday issued a stern warning to bouncers against misbehaving with police personnel, stating that VIPs they accompany would be held accountable for their actions.

“In the recent incident at Sandhya Theatre, we saw 40-50 bouncers behaving recklessly. Despite the presence of the public and police, they pushed everyone aside. Their sole focus was on the VIP. This is a warning to all bouncers: if they misbehave with the police, strict action will be taken against them. The behaviour of the bouncers is the responsibility of the VIPs they accompany. VIPs cannot shift the blame to the bouncers; the liability rests with them,” said Mr Anand.

The warning came in the wake of a stampede-like situation at Sandhya Theatre during the premiere of the film Pushpa 2.

Meanwhile, Telugu superstar Allu Arjun responded on Saturday to allegations holding him responsible for the tragedy at Sandhya Theatre during the premiere of his movie Pushpa 2: The Rule.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday evening, Allu Arjun described the incident as “very unfortunate” and criticised what he called “misinformation” and “character assassination” against him.

“It is a very unfortunate incident, completely accidental. My condolences to the bereaved family. I am receiving updates every hour about the child who was hospitalised, and his condition is improving. There is a lot of misinformation and false allegations being spread. I do not wish to blame any department or politician. However, my character is being unjustly assassinated,” Arjun told the media, referring to the December 4 incident at Sandhya Theatre, where a woman was killed and her child injured.

“I’m staying updated on the child’s condition. The good news is that he is improving. Despite this tragedy, the child’s progress brings some solace,” he added.

The tragedy unfolded on December 4, when Allu Arjun attended the premiere of his movie Pushpa 2: The Rule. A large crowd had gathered to see the star, and the situation escalated when Arjun waved to fans from the sunroof of his vehicle, resulting in the death of a woman named Revathi.

Following the incident, Allu Arjun was arrested but was released the next day after securing bail from the Telangana High Court by furnishing a bond of Rs 50,000.

Meanwhile, Allu Arjun’s latest release, Pushpa 2: The Rule, directed by Sukumar and co-starring Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil, continues to break box office records.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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.