Last Updated:December 22, 2024, 19:52 IST

As per the video, the actor was escorted out by the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) and the assistant commissioner of police (ACP), and other officers.

Telugu film actor Allu Arjun addresses a press conference at his residence, in Hyderabad on Saturday. (PTI photo)

Pushpa 2 Sandhya Theatre stampede: In the backdrop of the controversy revolving around Tollywood actor Allu Arjun and his alleged involvement in Sandhya Theatre stampede, the Hyderabad Police on Sunday said that the actor refused to leave the theatre where the premiere of his film Pushpa 2 was being held on December 4 even after he was informed that a woman had died in the chaos outside the theatre.

The police also released a 10-minute video detailing the happenings on the fateful day at Sandhya theatre. As per the video, the actor was escorted out by the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) and the assistant commissioner of police (ACP), and other officers, contradictory to his claim that he left the spot shortly after his manager informed him about the overcrowding.

As per the footage released, the video with timestamps indicated that the actor remained in the theatre until nearly midnight, alleging that he ignored police requests to leave. In the video presentation, the police displayed a letter they had sent to the theatre management, instructing them not to allow Allu Arjun or the film crew to attend the show.

The footage was acquired from various sources, including social media and put together.

According to the police, Allu Arjun and team arrived at the theatre despite being denied permission. When they entered the theatre after the roadshow, the stampede occurred around 9:45 pm, soon after that the deceased woman and her son (under treatment) were found unconscious.

While the police was trying to control the situation outside the theatre, around 10:45 pm, ACP Chikkadpally first tried reaching out to the actor but Sandhya Theatre management and his security didn’t allow him and failed to pass on the message about the stampede outside.

According to the ACP, when the Arjun did not leave, police then approached his manager and told him about the death of the woman and the critical injuries suffered by her son. But the manager also did not heed their request, the officer said.

“When we finally managed to go near Arjun and informed him about the woman’s death and the condition of the boy, as well as the chaos outside, he still refused to leave, saying he would go after watching the movie,” the ACP said.

Allu Arjun was forced to leave only around 11:40 pm when the DCP asked him to leave. The actor finally came out only around 12:05 am and waved at the audience despite being warned against it, the police said.

Bouncers were reckless, say police

Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand said that the bouncers escorting the Tollywood actor pushed and shoved people, including policemen.

“In the recent incident of Sandhya theatre, we saw 40-50 bouncers and how reckless they are. There was public, police and everyone but they pushed everyone…They think only about the VIP. It is a warning to every bouncer that if they misbehave with the police, strict actions will be taken against them…The behaviour of the bouncer is the responsibility of the VIPs. They cannot blame the bouncer. The liability is on the VIP only,” Anand said as quoted by ANI.

Allu Arjun claims of leaving the theatre

During a press conference on Saturday, Allu Arjun maintained that he had followed due procedure while attending the premiere show as per police directions.

Responding to the allegations, Allu Arjun said he had no idea about the stampede incident and only came to know about it in the next morning when a case was filed against him, due to which he could not visit the family. He also expressed condolences to the victim’s family over the “unfortunate incident”.

The movie star dismissed the allegations levelled by Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and Telangana MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi as “misinformation” and claimed that the allegations amounted to a “character assassination” against him.

Uproar against the Pushpa actor escalated after Reddy alleged that he visited the theatre during the film’s screening despite police permission being denied, a charge that Allu Arjun denied.

Reddy further said the movie star did not leave the cinema hall even after the death of the woman in the stampede, prompting the police to force him out. Reddy also criticised Allu Arjun for holding a roadshow and waving at the crowd alongside co-actress Rashmika Mandanna despite the overwhelming number of people, which risked a stampede. He said the theatre management gave a letter to the police on December 2 seeking security for the visit of top actors and others on the ill-fated day.

December 4 stampede

On December 4, a woman died when a tragic incident that took place during the Pushpa 2 screening at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad. The chaos unfolded as massive crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of the film’s star, Allu Arjun, who was attending the event alongside music director Devi Sri Prasad. In the ensuing commotion, the theatre’s main gate collapsed, resulting in a stampede. A 35-year-old woman lost her life, and her 9-year-old son sustained severe injuries.

However, the deceased woman’s husband, had said that he was willing to withdraw the case. In his statement, he shared that he doesn’t hold Allu Arjun responsible for the stampede that claimed his wife’s life. “I am ready to withdraw the case. I was not aware of the arrest and Allu Arjun has nothing to do with the stampede in which my wife passed away,” he had said.