Theatre stampede case: Actor Allu Arjun appears before police, ‘cancels’ proposed visit to hospital

Telugu actor Allu Arjun, named as an accused in the case related to the tragic death of a woman during a stampede at the premiere of his latest film Pushpa 2, appeared before the police here on Sunday as part of his bail conditions.

The actor appeared before the Station House Officer (SHO) of Chikkadapally police station, completed the court formalities and left, police said.

Arjun, listed as accused No 11 in the case, was granted regular bail by a city court on January 3. As per the court’s directives, the actor is required to appear before SHO, Chikkadpally police station on every Sunday between 10 am and 1 pm for a period of two months or till filing of charge sheet, whichever is earlier.

Additionally, the court instructed the Pushpa star not to change his residential address, without prior intimation to the court, till disposal of the case.

He was further asked not leave the country without prior permission of the court The incident took place on December 4, when a stampede-like situation erupted at Sandhya theatre in Hyderabad as fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor during the Pushpa 2 premiere. A 35-year-old woman lost her life, and her eight-year-old son sustained injuries in the chaos and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in the city.

Meanwhile, the SHO of Ramgopalpet Police Station served a notice to Allu Arjun on his proposed plan to the visit the hospital (to visit the boy undergoing treatment) on Sunday asking him to “reconsider” his decision, in view of heightened public interest in this matter, and to ensure minimal disruption to hospital operations and other patients.

If he still intends to visit the hospital, then the actor’s management was asked to coordinate with hospital authorities and the police to plan his entry and exit in such a way that minimises inconvienence to the hospital inmates and the public, police said.

The police also advised him maintaining the confidentiality of his visit to “prevent any gathering of public/media at the premises” which could disturb the peaceful environs of the hospital.

The actor, however, cancelled his visit to the hospital citing “advise” from his legal team, official sources said.

Following the tragedy, a case was registered against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management at the Chikkadpally police station. The charges were filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on a complaint by the deceased woman’s family.

Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13 in connection with the case. However, the Telangana High Court granted him interim bail on December 14, which is set to expire on January 10.