Hyderabad police arrested popular Tollywood actor Allu Arjun on Friday in connection with a stampede-like incident during the December 4 premiere of his latest film, Pushpa 2: The Rule, at a theatre in the city.
The tragic event resulted in the death of a 35-year-old woman, Revathi, while her nine-year-old son, Sri Teja, was hospitalized due to asphyxiation.
A police team from the Chikkadpally police station detained Allu Arjun at his residence in Jubilee Hills and brought him in for questioning. Authorities said the investigation would focus on his involvement in the overcrowding incident.
The incident occurred at Sandhya Theatre, located at the busy RTC Crossroads, when a massive crowd of fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor. Chaos ensued as the crowd surged, creating a near stampede-like situation.
Revathi and her son, caught in the commotion, suffered severe suffocation. Despite being rushed to a hospital, Revathi succumbed to her injuries, while her son remains under medical observation.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Akshansh Yadav stated that neither the theatre management nor the actor's team had informed authorities about the visit in advance.
"The theatre management failed to arrange adequate security or implement crowd management measures, even though they were aware of the actor’s arrival," Yadav said.
When Allu Arjun arrived with his personal security team, the crowd attempted to enter the cinema hall along with him.
"The actor’s security team began pushing the public, worsening the already chaotic situation," the DCP explained.
Police personnel stationed at the scene intervened and managed to rescue Revathi and her son from the lower balcony. CPR was performed on-site before they were taken to the hospital.
A case has been registered at the Chikkadpally police station under Sections 105 and 118(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management based on a complaint filed by the deceased's family.