Allu Arjun Arrested In Stampede Case: What Are The Charges & How Difficult Is To Get Bail?

Telugu superstar Allu Arjun has been detained by Hyderabad Police in connection with the tragic stampede at Sandhya Theatre during the premiere of his film Pushpa 2: The Rule. The incident, which occurred on December 4, resulted in the death of a woman and the hospitalisation of her teenage son.

On Friday, Allu Arjun was brought to the Chikkadpally Police Station in Hyderabad for questioning. While several media reports claim that the actor has been arrested, Hyderabad Police have yet to issue a formal statement confirming this.

Charges Filed

The Chikkadpally Police have registered a case under the following sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS):

• Section 105 - Culpable Homicide Not Amounting to Murder: A serious charge that carries severe penalties, including life imprisonment.
• Section 118(1) - Concealing Plans for Serious Offenses: This charge implies negligence or premeditation and may complicate legal proceedings.
• Section 3(5) - Voluntarily Causing Hurt: This charge involves physical harm caused by negligence or actions leading to injury.

The complaint was filed by the victim's family, who accused Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management of negligence.

As per the legal experts, obtaining bail for these charges, specifically under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Section 118(1) (concealing plans to commit an offense), and Section 3(5) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt), can be quite challenging due to the serious nature of these offenses.

The Incident

The stampede occurred as thousands of fans thronged Sandhya Theatre to catch a glimpse of Allu Arjun during the premiere. The absence of crowd control measures and dedicated entry/exit points created a chaotic situation, according to police reports.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) noted that the theatre management failed to make adequate arrangements despite prior knowledge of the actor's visit. The actor's personal security team allegedly worsened the situation by pushing the crowd, causing a surge that led to the tragedy.