'Pushpa 2' stampede tragedy: Allu Arjun walks out after spending night in jail
The High Court granted him bail upon the furnishing of a Rs 50,000 bond
Hyderabad: Actor Allu Arjun was released from Hyderabad Central Jail this morning after securing interim bail in connection with the Sandhya Theatre incident. The actor had been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody by a lower court in Telangana, a decision later challenged in the Telangana High Court.
The High Court granted him bail upon the furnishing of a Rs 50,000 bond. However, due to procedural delays, Allu Arjun spent the night in jail and was released this morning.
Ahead of his release, heavy security was deployed outside the Chanchalguda Central Jail in Hyderabad. Among those present to receive him was his father-in-law, Kancharla Chandrasekhar Reddy.
Allu Arjun's lawyer, Ashok Reddy, expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in his client's release despite securing bail. Speaking to reporters, he said, "The High Court order was received, but despite that, they didn't release the accused (Allu Arjun). This is illegal detention, and we will take legal action. For now, he has been released."
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"Thanks to all who supported me
Speaking to the media, the actor expressed his gratitude to his fans and supporters. "I thank everyone for the love and support. I want to thank all my fans. There is nothing to worry about. I am fine. I am a law-abiding citizen and will cooperate. I would like to once again express my condolences to the family. It was an unfortunate incident. We are sorry for what happened," said the actor.
Allu Arjun further reiterated, "I'm a law-abiding citizen, there's nothing to worry, all is well... condolences to the family... it was an accident, nothing like that happened before, I have extended all support to her family... thank you to all of you."
Details of the incident
The Sandhya Theatre incident occurred on December 4, when Allu Arjun visited the Hyderabad theatre for a screening of his new movie Pushpa 2. Large crowds had gathered to catch a glimpse of the star, leading to chaos.
Police allege that the actor's actions contributed to the death of a woman named Revathi and injuries sustained by her son.
"He came to the theatre, emerged from the sunroof of his vehicle, and began waving to the crowd. This gesture drew more people towards the theatre's main gate. Meanwhile, his private security pushed through the crowd to make way for his vehicle," the police reported.
They added, "Despite being advised to leave due to the large gathering, his team did not act promptly. Allu Arjun remained inside the theatre for over two hours. While adequate police arrangements were in place, his actions directly contributed to this unfortunate incident."
Support and reactions
The incident sparked widespread reactions, with several political leaders, including Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao, condemning the actor's arrest. Prominent film personalities such as Rashmika Mandanna and Varun Dhawan also voiced their support for Allu Arjun.
At a success meet for Pushpa 2 on December 7, the actor expressed his shock and grief over the tragedy. He also announced financial assistance for the deceased woman's family.
"The incident at Sandhya Theatre is deeply unfortunate. I was shocked—it took me hours to process and respond to it. Psychologically, it was overwhelming. We were all stunned when we heard the news," Allu Arjun stated.