Allu Arjun was arrested in an incident at Sandhya Theater

Hyderabad Police on Friday arrested popular Tollywood actor Allu Arjun in connection with a stampede during the premiere of his latest film ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ on December 4 at a theater in the city.

The tragic event resulted in the death of 35-year-old woman Revathi, while her nine-year-old son Sri Teja was hospitalized due to suffocation.

A police team from Chikkadpally police station arrested Allu Arjun from his residence in Jubilee Hills and took him for questioning. Authorities said the investigation would focus on his involvement in the overcrowding incident.

The incident took place at the Sandhya Theater at the busy RTC Crossroads when a huge crowd of fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor. Chaos ensued as the crowd grew larger and a situation resembling mass panic ensued.

Revathi and her son, who were caught in the commotion, suffered severe suffocation. Though Revathi was rushed to a hospital, she succumbed to her injuries while her son remains under medical observation.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Akshansh Yadav said that neither the theater management nor the team of actors informed the authorities in advance about the visit.

“The theater management failed to provide adequate security arrangements or implement crowd control measures despite knowing about the actor’s arrival,” Yadav said.

When Allu Arjun arrived with his personal security team, the crowd tried to enter the cinema hall with him.

“The actor’s security team started putting pressure on the public, which aggravated the already chaotic situation,” the DCP said.

Police personnel stationed at the spot intervened and managed to rescue Revathi and her son from the lower balcony. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed on site before transport to the hospital.

A case has been registered at Chikkadpally police station under Sections 105 and 118(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Allu Arjun, his security team and the theater management based on a complaint lodged by the family of the deceased.