Indian actor Allu Arjun has been arrested in connection with the death of a woman during a stampede at a screening of his box office hit film Pushpa 2: The Rule, according to local reports.
Reports stated that the arrest came after police last week registered charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and voluntarily causing hurt against Arjun, his security team and the management of the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad.
A Times of India video showed police arriving at Arjun’s home to take him into custody in front of family members, including his filmmaker father Allu Arvind, escorting him to a vehicle. Other videos of the arrest went viral on social media today.
The incident left a 35-year-old woman, identified by police just as Revathi, dead and her son critically injured. According to police, Arjun and his team had given local authorities no prior warning that they would attend the screening, and his surprise appearance at the cinema’s main entrance caused a fatal crush with dozens of people trying to get a look at the megastar. Police also say that Arjun’s security detail heightened the danger by trying to control the crowds, according to local reports.
In a statement released after the incident on December 4, Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand said: “There was no intimation from the side of theatre management or actors’ team.” It was also alleged the theater had provided no separate or side entrance and exit for Arjun, despite having prior warning he was arriving.
On December 6, Arjun posted a message on social media saying, “Deeply heartbroken by the tragic incident at Sandhya Theatre. My heartfelt condolences go out to the grieving family during this unimaginably difficult time. I want to assure them they are not alone in this pain and will meet the family personally. While respecting their need for space to grieve, I stand committed to extend every possible assistance to help them navigate through this challenging journey.”
He has pledged money to help the deceased woman’s family and provide assistance to her son, whose condition has been described as “critical.”
Action flick Pushpa 2 has been a huge box office hit in India, grossing an estimated $130M+ since its premiere on December 5. The flick stars Arjun as a sandalwood smuggler who clashes with government officials and police officers. The first movie in the franchise, Pushpa: The Rise, was India’s biggest grossing title of 2021 and ranks among the most-watched Telugu-language films of all time.
We’ve reached out to Arjun’s representatives for comment.
