Actor Allu Arjun remanded to 14-day judicial custody in Pushpa 2 stampede case
Allu Arjun has been placed in 14-day judicial custody following his arrest in connection with a stampede at a Hyderabad theatre that killed a 35-year-old woman and injured her 8-year-old son.
FollowHyderabad: Popular Telugu actor Allu Arjun has been placed in 14-day judicial custody following his arrest in connection with the death of a 35-year-old woman during the premiere of his latest movie Pushpa 2: The Rule. The incident, which occurred on December 4 at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad, also left the woman’s 8-year-old son hospitalized.
Allu Arjun was taken into custody from his residence on Friday amid tight security and transported to the Chikkadpally police station. Following formal arrest procedures, he was taken to Gandhi Hospital for mandatory medical examinations before being produced in court.
The case, filed under Sections 105 and 118(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), alleges negligence by Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management. According to police, the massive crowd that had gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor led to chaos, causing asphyxiation that claimed the life of Revathi and endangered her young son.
Police reports suggest that the theatre management failed to make adequate arrangements to handle the overwhelming crowd, despite being aware of the actor’s planned visit. Further, the actor's security team reportedly pushed the crowd, exacerbating the situation and leading to a stampede-like scenario.
The tragic incident unfolded when Allu Arjun arrived at the theatre with his personal security at around 9:30 PM. The surge of fans attempting to follow him into the theatre led to a dangerous crowd influx, resulting in Revathi and her son being pulled out from the lower balcony by on-duty police officers. Despite efforts to revive her, Revathi was declared dead at the hospital, while her son remains under treatment at a super-specialty facility.
In response to the tragedy, Allu Arjun announced financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh for the bereaved family and assured them of his support. However, on December 11, he filed a petition in the Telangana High Court seeking to quash the FIR against him.
Police have also arrested three theatre staff members, including one of the owners, for negligence contributing to the incident. Hyderabad Additional Commissioner of Police Vikram Singh Mann emphasized that the investigation is proceeding as per protocol.
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