Telugu film actor Allu Arjun has been arrested by the police in connection with a stampede at the premiere of his film Pushpa 2 in Hyderabad on December 4.
Police had filed a case against the Sandhya Theatre management, the actor, and his security team. Officers had said the police had no prior intimation that the film’s team would turn up for the premiere.
Arjun was taken into custody on Friday by a team from Chikkadpally police station, where the case was registered.
At the time of filing the FIR, Deputy Commissioner of Police of Central Zone, Hyderabad Police, Akshansh Yadav had told The Indian Express, “A case has been filed under BNS section 105 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 118(1) r/w 3(5) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt) at Chikkadpally police station based on the complaint of the family members of the deceased person. It is being investigated. 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 actor will be produced before a magistrate later in the day.
#WATCH | Moment when Telugu actor #AlluArjun was arrested by the police in Hyderabad
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— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) December 13, 2024
On Friday, officials from the Hyderabad Police Commissioner’s Task Force and the Chikkadpally police station arrived at Arjun’s house and took him into custody. The actor had approached the Telangana High Court seeking to clear his name from the FIR, but it has not come up for hearing so far. Sandhya Theatre’s owner and two employees have already been arrested.
When police arrived at Allu Arjun’s residence
According to an officer, Arjun did not object to being arrested but informed police that it was inappropriate of them to walk up to his bedroom. As per the officer, he said that they did not give him time to change his clothes or finish breakfast.
While being led out of the house to a police vehicle, Arjun asked his staff for water and a cup of tea or coffee. He was also seen reassuring his wife. He drank water from a bottle, and then took sips from a cup while a posse of cops waited for him to finish.
His father Allu Aravind, a film producer, accompanied him to the police station.
After recording his statement at the police station, Arjun is being taken to Gandhi Hospital for a check-up. He will be presented in a court later, and police have prepared a remand report to be presented before the magistrate.
Arjun’s lawyers meanwhile moved a lunch motion petition in the Telangana High Court to ensure he is not arrested until Monday. The petition will be heard at 2:30 pm.
What happened at the Pushpa 2 premiere?
According to officers, their probe found that the theatre management allegedly did not make additional provisions to manage the crowd. There was no separate entry or exit for the actors’ team, police alleged.
Around 9:30 pm, Arjun came to the theatre with his personal security and the crowd tried to enter with him. His personal security team allegedly started pushing the public, which aggravated the situation.
M Revathi, the woman who died, was a homemaker and had come with her family to the premiere as her son is a fan of the actor.
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