Telangana police debunk Allu Arjun’s claims over stampede incident

The ongoing saga between actor Allu Arjun and the Telangana Police took a dramatic turn on December 22, 2024, following a series of counter-accusations.

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© Allu Arjun and CV Anand IPS

The controversy began after a tragic stampede at Sandhya Theatre during the premiere of ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ on December 4, which led to the death of a woman named Revathi and injuries to her son. Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13 in connection with the incident but was later granted interim bail by the Telangana High Court.

On December 21, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy accused Allu Arjun of negligence, claiming he continued watching the film despite being informed about the stampede. Mr. Reddy stated that the Police had denied permission for Arjun’s visit to the theatre due to crowd control concerns, yet he appeared, leading to the catastrophic event. 

In response, Allu Arjun held a press conference defending himself against what he described as a ‘character assassination.’ He denied any misconduct, asserting that he did not visit the theatre without permission and was only informed of the tragedy the next day. He also said that his legal team advised against meeting the victim’s family due to the ongoing police case against him.

What happened today?

Following Mr. Arjun’s claims, the Telangana Police, led by Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand, held a press conference today.

The Police countered Allu Arjun’s claims that he was unaware of the woman’s death during the stampede at Sandhya Theatre by asserting that they had informed him about the incident while he was still at the theatre.

Chikkadapally Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) L. Ramesh Kumar stated that they had conveyed the news of the woman’s death and her son’s injuries to Allu Arjun’s manager, Santosh, and later directly to Allu Arjun himself. Despite this information, the actor reportedly chose to stay and watch the film, only agreeing to leave after the screening. 

The Police also presented video footage to support their claims, showing an attempt to inform Allu Arjun about the stampede, and he was asked to leave the theatre. 

The Police further clarified that Allu Arjun refused to leave the theatre at 11:45 PM even after being informed of Revathi’s death, contradicting his public statements where he claimed he was not aware of the incident until the next day.

The Telangana Police have maintained that they acted appropriately, informing Arjun about the situation at the theatre. They argued that the actor should have acknowledged the gravity of the situation sooner, potentially preventing further chaos. 

Commissioner warns Bouncers

Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand warned the agencies supplying bouncers to the VIPs that any misbehavior towards the public will not be tolerated and that they will be held responsible.

Allu Arjun’s house attacked

A group of individuals claiming to be from the Osmania University Joint Action Committee stormed Allu Arjun’s Jubilee Hills residence and pelted tomatoes and stones while demanding that the actor pay a compensation of Rs. 1 Crore to the affected family. 

The attack on Arjun’s house, involving vandalism and disruption, was quickly condemned by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who ordered strict police action against the perpetrators.