Allu Arjun Faces Police Interrogation Over Theatre Stampede Incident During Pushpa-2 Premiere

The Telangana police questioned Telugu actor Allu Arjun on Tuesday regarding his visit to a theatre screening "Pushpa-2." They inquired if he was aware of the authorities' denial of permission and the tragic death of a woman during a stampede on December 4. Arjun, accompanied by his father Allu Aravind and lawyers, arrived at Chikkadpally police station shortly after 11 AM and was questioned for over three hours.

Heavy security was deployed at the Chikkadpally police station due to the actor's appearance. Police also imposed traffic restrictions on roads leading to the station. The actor had been issued a notice on December 23 to appear before the police at 11 AM. The notice stated that his presence was essential to answer questions about the stampede incident and possibly visit the scene to ascertain facts.

Allu Arjun's Cooperation with Police

During the interrogation, led by Central Zone DCP Akshansh Yadav, Arjun was asked about the sequence of events and his private security arrangements. Allegations were made that bouncers pushed fans, leading to the stampede. "He cooperated with the police fully. If required, they said they’d call him again. They wanted to question him and he cooperated. They treated him very well," stated Arjun’s advocate Ashok Reddy.

The focus of the questioning was on Allu Arjun's entry and exit from the theatre and the role of bouncers in managing crowds near him. Sources indicated that the police recorded his statement regarding the case. After leaving the police station around 2:45 PM, Arjun returned to his home in Jubilee Hills.

Incident Details and Legal Proceedings

A 35-year-old woman died during the stampede at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on December 4, and her eight-year-old son was injured and hospitalised. Following this incident, city police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and theatre management under various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Chikkadpally police station based on a complaint from the deceased woman's family.

Allu Arjun, named as accused number 11, was arrested by city police in connection with the woman's death on December 13. The Telangana High Court granted him four-week interim bail on the same day, leading to his release from prison on December 14 morning.

Public Reaction and Security Measures

Security was heightened at Allu Arjun's residence earlier in the day, where he waved to media before heading to the police station. The compound wall and main gate of his house in Jubilee Hills were covered with white sheets following a vandalism incident but were removed soon after.

A group claiming to be members of Osmania University-Joint Action Committee (OU-JAC) damaged flower pots and threw tomatoes at Arjun's residence on Sunday evening. This act followed allegations made by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy against Arjun for holding a roadshow before the film screening.

In response to these allegations, Allu Arjun held a press conference on December 21. He described the stampede as accidental and denied claims made by Revanth Reddy about a roadshow before the film screening. Hours after Reddy criticised him for waving to crowds at the theatre, Arjun refuted these allegations, stating it wasn't a procession or roadshow.