Hyderabad [Telangana]: Telugu superstar Allu Arjun, who was arrested on Friday afternoon in connection with a stampede at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre during a screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule, was granted interim bail for four weeks by the Telangana High Court.
The court emphasized Arjun’s right to liberty, stating, “Just because he is an actor… he cannot be held like this.” This followed a plea by the actor after a lower court had sent him to 14-day judicial custody and rejected a request to delay his arrest until Monday.
The incident, which occurred during a special screening of the film, resulted in the tragic death of a woman and severe injuries to her nine-year-old son.
Earlier in the day, Allu Arjun was taken into custody from his Jubilee Hills residence, an event that he claimed involved police following him into his bedroom. His father, filmmaker Allu Aravind, and other family members were present during the arrest.
Hyderabad Police had filed charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and voluntarily causing hurt against Arjun, members of his security team, and the theatre management. The complaint, lodged by the deceased woman’s husband, alleged that the actor and theatre officials failed to alert police about his plan to attend the screening.
However, Allu Arjun’s office and the theatre management refuted the claim, asserting that police had been informed. A letter confirming prior communication with the police, stating plans for Allu Arjun and co-star Rashmika Mandanna to attend the event, was later made public.
Arjun’s legal team moved the High Court on December 11, seeking to quash the charges. The case now hinges on whether proper police permissions were obtained for the actor’s presence and interaction with fans outside the theatre.
In a surprising turn, the husband of the deceased woman has withdrawn his complaint, stating he was unaware his filing would lead to Allu Arjun’s arrest. A viral video captured him expressing regret over the developments.
The investigation continues, focusing on determining the actor’s compliance with legal protocols for public appearances.