Hyderabad:

Top Telugu actor Allu Arjun on Tuesday visited the boy, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital here after suffering serious injury in a stampede at the premiere of his latest film Pushpa 2. Earlier, Arjun was scheduled to visit the hospital on January 5 but the plan was cancelled.

The actor is added as accused No 11 in the case filed after a woman died and her eight-year-old son sustained serious injuries in the stampede on December 4.

During Allu Arjun’s visit to the hospital on Tuesday, Telangana State Film Development Corporation (FDC) Chairman Dil Raju was also present. Security was enhanced at the hospital in view of the actor’s visit.

The SHO of Ramgopalpet Police Station had issued a notice to Allu Arjun regarding his proposed visit to the hospital and advised him to keep it confidential so that public order could be maintained in and around the hospital.

The SHO said police would make necessary arrangements for his visit.

The ‘Pushpa’ actor had earlier said that he remained deeply concerned about the boy, who is under constant medical care after the incident. He wished the boy a speedy recovery and said he is looking forward to meeting him and his family, but was advised not to due to ongoing legal proceedings.

The stampede occurred at Sandhya theatre in Hyderabad on December 4 as fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor during the Pushpa 2 premiere.

Following the tragedy, a case was registered against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management at the Chikkadpally police station. The charges were filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on a complaint by the woman’s family.

He was arrested on December 13 in connection with the case. However, the Telangana High Court granted him interim bail on December 14. He was granted regular bail by a city court on January 3.

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

Hyderabad:

Unseen footage from Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre – where a stampede December 4, as actor Allu Arjun’s ‘Pushpa 2: The Rise‘ was being screened, killed a young mother and critically injured her eight-year-old child – shows the confusion and chaos that prevailed that night.

The 14-second clip doesn’t have audio but shows a crowd pushing and shoving as they funnel through a doorway. The metal gates on either side are literally torn from their hinges. The ground is littered with pieces of paper and plastic water bottles stomped on by the surging mob.

The timestamp on the video is around 9.15 pm, which is 15 minutes before Allu Arjun arrived – unannounced, according to the police – at the theatre. News of the actor’s arrival, the cops have alleged, led to the stampede as adoring fans fell over each other to get a glimpse of the actor.

In the crush that followed Revathi, 35, was killed and her eight-year-old son, Sri Tej, was left critically injured. Mr Arjun, 41, was arrested nine days after the tragic incident.

A lower court sent him to judicial custody for 14 days but, in a cinema-like twist, a few hours later the Telangana High Court granted interim bail, underscoring the actor’s right to liberty.

Mr Arjun spent the night in jail anyway because the court’s order came late.

Out on bail, the actor was summoned today to join the police investigation. He did so, appearing at the city’s Chikkadpally Police Station for a nearly four-hour question session.

Among the questions thrown at him by the police were:

• Did you know police permission had been denied for you to come to the premiere?
• Who took the call to proceed with the plan (for the actor to attend the special screening) despite denial of police permission?
• Did any police officer inform you about the stampede outside?
• When did you know about the death of the woman?

READ | “Did You Know…”: What Cops Asked Allu Arjun In ‘Pushpa 2’ Stampede Case

The actor and his security team, and the theatre owner, general and security managers have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. 

On his part, Allu Arjun has rejected allegations he was responsible for the stampede and the death of the woman. On Saturday, he told reporters the incident was “very unfortunate” and criticised what he called “misinformation” and “character assassination” against him.

READ | “Misinformation, Character Assassination”: Actor Allu Arjun On Stampede Row

Public sentiment, though, has been divided; on Sunday there was a protest outside his home.

A mob barged in and vandalised parts of the compound; they broke flower pots and threw tomatoes at the building. The protesters, reportedly university students, also shouted slogans till they were ejected.

Hyderabad:
Actor Arjun Allu has been summoned by Hyderabad police today as part of the ongoing probe into the stampede during the screening of his movie ‘Pushpa-2’. A woman was killed and her son critically injured in the incident this month.

Here Are Top Points On ‘Pushpa 2’ Screening Stampede Case:

Hyderabad:

Telugu actor Allu Arjun’s father and film producer Allu Aravind on Wednesday visited an eight-year-old boy undergoing treatment at a private hospital here after sustaining severe injuries in a stampede during the premiere of Pushpa 2, and assured the family of full support for the child’s recovery.

Addressing reporters, Allu Aravind quoted doctors as saying that while there is progress in Sritej’s recovery, it will be a long process. He also commended the Telangana government for taking responsibility for the boy’s treatment.

Addressing questions from fans and the media about why Allu Arjun had not visited the hospital, Allu Aravind clarified that the actor had intended to visit the boy a day after the tragic incident on December 4. However, hospital authorities had advised against it, citing ongoing legal proceedings.

“Our legal team strongly advised Allu Arjun not to visit the hospital or meet the boy’s parents due to the pending police case,” Allu Aravind explained. “Since he couldn’t go, he felt that I should visit on his behalf.” Allu Aravind expressed gratitude to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, the police, and hospital officials for permitting his visit.

A medical bulletin released by the hospital on Wednesday said Sritej’s neurological condition remains critical, though he is stable and without fever.

“Today, Sritej underwent a tracheostomy tube placement. The procedure was uneventful. He remains afebrile and is maintaining normal vital parameters with low-dose inotropes. However, his neurological status remains unchanged,” the bulletin stated.

Allu Arjun had earlier wished the boy a speedy recovery through a post on X (formerly Twitter), expressing his eagerness to meet the child and his family. “Due to ongoing legal proceedings, I have been advised not to visit them at this time,” the actor wrote.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner C V Anand and State Health Secretary Christina Z Chongthu, who visited the hospital on Tuesday, assured that the government would cover all expenses for the boy’s treatment.

The tragic incident occurred on December 4 during a stampede at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad, where thousands of fans had gathered to see Allu Arjun at the premiere of Pushpa 2. The eight-year-old boy’s 35-year-old mother died in the chaos, while Sritej sustained critical injuries.

Following the incident, Hyderabad Police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case, registered at the Chikkadpally police station, was based on a complaint from the woman’s family.

Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13 but granted interim bail by the Telangana High Court. He was released on the morning of December 14.

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

Telugu actor Allu Arjun walked out of jail on Saturday morning, a day after he was arrested in connection with the stampede outside a Hyderabad theatre screening ‘Pushpa 2’ earlier this month in which one woman died. The actor left the jail premises from the back gate with his father Allu Aravind and father-in-law Kancharla Chandrasekhar Reddy – who had come to receive him, officials said.

Upon his release, Allu Arjun’s lawyer Ashok Reddy said that the actor’s arrest was an “illegal detention” as the jail authorities did not release him despite receiving an order copy from the Telangana High Court yesterday.

“They received an order copy from the High Court but despite that, they didn’t release him…They will have to answer. This is an illegal detention. We will take legal action…As of now, he has been released,” he said.

Allu Arjun was arrested from his house in Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad on Friday, hours after he returned from Delhi after attending the success meet of ‘Pushpa 2’. A lower court had remanded him to 14-day judicial custody. However, shortly after, the Telangana High Court granted interim bail for four weeks.

For regular bail, the actor was told to approach the Nampally court.

‘Pushpa 2’ Stampede Case

On December 4, a stampede broke out at a theatre in Hyderabad screening Allu Arjun-starrer ‘Pushpa 2’ when the actor made what the police called an “unscheduled” visit to the auditorium. During the incident, one woman was killed and her son was injured.

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 police, there was no intimation from theatre management or the actor’s team that they would be visiting the theatre. The theatre management also did not make any additional provisions regarding security to manage the crowd, officials said.

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

However, hours after Allu Arjun was arrested in the case yesterday, the victim’s husband defended the actor and said that he was ready to withdraw the case.

“I am ready to withdraw the case. I was not aware of the arrest. Allu Arjun has nothing to do with the stampede in which my wife passed away,” he said.

Reactions pour in on Allu Arjun’s arrest

Several politicians and people from the film industry came in support of Allu Arjun and slammed his arrest.

BRS leader KT Rama Rao hit out at the Congress government in Telangana, calling the action against the actor a “pinnacle of insecurity of rulers”.

“I totally sympathise with the victims of the stampede but who failed really? Treating Allu Arjun as a common criminal is uncalled for especially for something he isn’t directly responsible. There is always space for respect and dignified conduct. I strongly condemn high-handed behaviour of the government,” he said.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw called the stampede incident a “poor arrangement by the state and local administration”. According to him, Congress has “no respect” for the creative industry.

“…The arrest of Allu Arjun proves it yet again. The mishap at Sandhya Theatre was a clear case of poor arrangements by the state and local administration. Now, to deflect that blame, they are indulging in such publicity stunts. The Telangana Government should assist those affected and punish those making the arrangements that day instead of continuously attacking film personalities,” he wrote on X.

Hyderabad:

Telugu actor Allu Arjun’s bail hearing in the Telangana High Court – after his arrest Friday in the ‘Pushpa 2‘ stampede case – featured a parallel to a similarly tragic incident involving Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and his film ‘Raees‘, in which also one person died.

Arguing for bail for his client, Allu Arjun’s lawyer recalled the ‘Raees‘ stampede and argued the main question before the court was “… is somebody doing a rash or negligent act?” In that context he spoke about the stampede involving SRK, and said the Bollywood actor “threw clothes at the station, which led to a stampede”. In that case he was not found criminally liable, Mr Arjun’s lawyer said.

It was also argued that Allu Arjun was on the first floor of Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre when the stampede occurred on the ground floor. And the lawyer also rubbished claims by the police that they had not been informed of the actor’s plan to attend a special screening of his film.

“The actor was coming… everybody knew that. Even the police knew. Here the actor was not even doing anything whereas, in SRK’s case, the actor threw balls and crowds jumped to grab them.”

The court eventually ruled in favour of Mr Arjun, granting him interim bail for four weeks. The court observed that Allu Arjun’s status as a hugely popular actor could not compromise his right to liberty.

READ | “Just Because He’s An Actor…”: Court Grants Bail To Allu Arjun

“… just because he is an actor… he cannot be held like this,” the High Court said.

The ‘Raees‘ stampede took place at the railway station in Gujarat’s Vadodara in 2017.

The actor and his production team were travelling from Mumbai to Delhi to promote the film.

When the train stopped in Vadodara, Mr Khan tried to interact with his fans; he threw t-shirt and ‘smiley balls’ at the crowd, and it was argued that this led to the stampede.

READ | Shah Rukh Khan Gets Relief By Supreme Court In 2017 Stampede Case

In April 2022 the Gujarat High Court ordered the quashing of the criminal case against SRK. Later that year the High Court’s ruling was challenged in the Supreme Court, which upheld the verdict.

Pushpa 2 Stampede

The stampede broke after the actor made what police said was an unscheduled appearance at the theatre showing his film. A 35-year-old woman was killed and her nine-year-old son was injured as the crowd jostled and shoved each other to catch a glimpse of Mr Arjun.

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 started pushing the crowd back and that aggravated the situation.

READ | “Son Wanted To Watch Pushpa 2”: Man Whose Wife Was Killed

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.

However, Mr Arjun’s office and the theatre officials have insisted the cops had, in fact, been informed.

And, hours after his arrest, a copy of just such a letter was released, in which the police were told of plans for the film’s stars, Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandana, to visit the theatre at 9.30 pm.

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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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Telugu actor Allu Arjun will be charged for the stampede that erupted outside a Hyderabad theatre and left one woman dead on Wednesday, after he arrived without prior intimation for the premiere show of his movie “Pushpa 2: The Rule”, police said on Thursday.

Besides the actor, the management of Sandhya Theatre will also be charged for not making any “additional provisions regarding security to manage the crowd”. 

There was no immediate reaction either from Mr Arjun nor the theatre management till the time of filing this report. 

In a statement, Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand said “there was no intimation from the side of theatre management or actors team that they will be visiting the theatre…”

The top cop said there was no separate entry or exit for the actor and his team, even though the theatre management was aware of their arrival. 

A 35-year-old woman died and her nine-year-son was hospitalised due to asphyxiation as a huge crowd jostled at the film theatre to catch a glimpse of Mr Arjun, who arrived with music director Devi Sri Prasad for the screening on Wednesday evening.

Police said that as a heavy crowd rushed ahead, the theatre’s main gate collapsed, prompting the security personnel to resort to lathi charge to control the mob. Despite efforts to maintain order, the stampede turned fatal.

The woman was identified as Revathi and her son was identified as Teja. Teja is believed to be in a critical condition and is currently undergoing treatment. The family has demanded accountability from the threatre management, and sought a response from the actor on the incident. They have also demanded that Mr Arjun provide them with support. 

Police said a case has been booked under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on the basis of a complaint by the woman’s family. “Stringent action as per law will be taken against all the persons responsible for the chaotic situation inside the theatre leading to the death of a person and injury to others,” the top cop said.

Hyderabad:

A 35-year-old woman was killed and her nine-year-old son was seriously injured during the premiere of ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ at a theatre in Hyderabad Wednesday evening, police said. The incident took place at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre as massive crowds thronged the venue to catch a glimpse of the film’s lead actor, Allu Arjun.

Chaos erupted outside the theatre when fans surged to see the actor, who had arrived with music director Devi Sri Prasad for the screening. According to police, the theatre’s main gate collapsed under the pressure of the crowd.

The police resorted to lathi charge to control the mob. Despite efforts to maintain order, the stampede turned fatal. The injured boy was rushed to a private hospital, where he is undergoing treatment.

According to the police, thousands had gathered at the theatre not only to watch the film but also to see members of the film’s production team. Additional police reinforcements were called in to prevent further escalation.

‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’, directed by Sukumar is a sequel to the 2021 blockbuster ‘Pushpa: The Rise’ and is scheduled for release across 10,000 screens in multiple languages. Plans for a 3D version were scrapped due to delays in post-production, although screenings are set to proceed in 2D and 4DX formats.

The film stars Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna, with Fahadh Faasil reprising his role. Amid the hype, ticket prices were hiked in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, sparking petitions in courts. The Telangana High Court allowed the release to proceed despite objections.