Theatre stampede case: Police grill actor Allu Arjun for over 3 hrs; ask about sequence of events

Hyderabad: The Telangana police on Tuesday asked top Telugu actor Allu Arjun if he was aware that authorities had denied permission for his visit to a theatre that screened ‘Pushpa-2’ and also if he knew about the tragic death of a woman in the stampede on December 4 during the premiere.

Arjun, who reached the Chikkadpally police station accompanied by his father Allu Aravind and lawyers a little after 11 AM, was questioned by a police team led by Central Zone DCP Akshansh Yadav for over three hours. The actor left the police station at around 2.45 pm.

According to sources, during the interrogation, the actor was also asked about the sequence of events, and his private security, with the police alleging that bouncers allegedly pushed his fans leading to the stampede.

“He cooperated with the police fully. If required, they said they’d call him again. They (the police) wanted to question him and he cooperated. They treated him very well,” Arjun’s advocate Ashok Reddy told PTI.

The interrogation was focused on Allu Arjun’s entry into the theatre, exit and role of bouncers in crowd control near the star, sources close to the development said. “The police have recorded Allu Arjun’s statement about the case,” sources told PTI.

After the questioning, Allu Arjun returned to his home at posh Jubilee Hills in the city. The actor held a press conference on December 21, describing the stampede incident as purely accidental and denied the allegations made by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on the “roadshow” before the film screening.

Hours after Reddy slammed the actor for holding a roadshow and waving to the crowds at the theatre, without referring to anyone, the ‘Pushpa 2’ star refuted the allegations, saying it was not a procession or a roadshow.

Tight security arrangements were made at the Chikkadpally police station in view of the star’s appearance on Tuesday. Heavy police deployment was made, while police also imposed restrictions on traffic on the roads leading to the police station. The actor was issued a notice on December 23 to appear before the police at 11 AM today.

The police, in their notice, said his presence is essential before the SHO of Chikkadpally police station to elicit answers about the stampede incident and if necessary to visit the scene of the offence, in order to ascertain the facts.

Earlier in the day, security was also stepped up at his residence and the actor waved to the media before leaving for the police station. Allu Arjun earlier said he would cooperate with the investigation.

The notice to Allu Arjun on December 23 came a day after police commissioner C V Anand released a video showing the sequence of events at the theatre.

A 35-year-old woman died during the stampede at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on December 4 and her eight-year-old son was injured. He was later hospitalised.

Following the incident, the city police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under different sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on the complaint lodged by the deceased woman’s family.

Allu Arjun, named as accused no 11, was arrested by the city police in connection with the death of the woman on December 13. The Telangana High Court granted him a four-week interim bail on the same day and he was released from prison on the morning of December 14.