‘Pushpa 2’ stampede: 6 booked for vandalising Allu Arjun's residence

Hyderabad: A case has been registered against six members of the Osmania University Joint Action Committee (OU-JAC) for allegedly vandalizing actor Allu Arjun’s residence amid the row over the Sandhya Theatre Tragedy.

DCP West Zone, Hyderabad, confirmed that stringent action has been initiated against the accused.

The incident occurred around 4:45pm when a group began protesting outside the 'Pushpa' actor's residence, chanting slogans and holding placards. One protester climbed the compound wall and started throwing tomatoes.

The protesters allegedly manhandled the security staff and damaged flower pots along the ramp. Visuals from the scene showed broken pots, shattered glass, and damaged plants outside Allu Arjun's home, reportedly caused by the stone-pelting.

“Today at around 4:45 PM, some individuals holding placards rushed to the residence of actor Allu Arjun in Jubilee Hills and started sloganeering. One of them climbed the compound wall and threw tomatoes. When security staff objected and asked them to get down, an altercation ensued. They climbed down, manhandled the security staff, and damaged flower pots kept along the ramp,” stated the DCP.

Jubilee Hills Police reached the scene after receiving information and detained six individuals, all claiming to be members of OU-JAC.

The tensions escalated following public statements exchanged between the actor and the government. Jubilee Hills Police reported that OU-JAC members staged the protest on Sunday outside Allu Arjun’s residence, holding placards and chanting slogans.

Neither Allu Arjun nor his family has filed a complaint. Further updates are awaited from the police.

Earlier, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy addressed the Assembly, stating that police had denied permission for any event at Sandhya Theatre due to safety concerns. However, Allu Arjun allegedly attended the premiere, climbed onto his car roof, and conducted a roadshow at RTC X Road, which triggered the chaos.

“On December 2, Akbaruddin Owaisi requested arrangements for the cast and crew of Pushpa 2 to attend the film’s release at Sandhya Theatre on December 4,” said Reddy. “On December 3, the Chikkadpally Circle Inspector rejected the request in writing, citing the theatre’s congested location with only one entry and exit point. Despite this, the actor attended the event, climbed onto his car roof, and conducted a roadshow, exacerbating the situation.”

The Chief Minister detailed how police intervened during the stampede. “The ACP requested the actor to leave to control the crowd, but he refused, stating he would leave after watching the movie. The DCP had to intervene, warning he would be arrested if he didn’t comply. Even while leaving, he climbed onto the car roof again, waving to fans.”

Following the incident on December 4, Allu Arjun expressed his condolences. “It was a tragic accident, and my heart goes out to the family. I’ve been monitoring the condition of the injured child and am relieved to hear they are improving. There has been a lot of misinformation and false allegations. I do not wish to blame any department or politician. This is deeply distressing for me.”

The actor dismissed allegations of misconduct, calling them an attempt at “character assassination.” He stated, “I have worked in the film industry for 20 years, and this incident has been devastating. I haven’t even watched my film in the theatre despite working on it for three years. I deeply apologize for the incident but want to clarify that I had no direct involvement in the unfortunate events.”

Through an Instagram post, Allu Arjun urged fans to maintain decorum and avoid abusive behavior or language, both online and offline.

The tragedy occurred on December 4 during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule. A massive crowd had gathered to see the actor, and the situation escalated when he waved to fans from his car’s sunroof. The chaos led to the death of a woman named Revathi and injuries to her child.

Allu Arjun was arrested following the incident and later released on bail after furnishing a Rs 50,000 bond.

Directed by Sukumar, Pushpa 2: The Rule is the sequel to the blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise and has been breaking box-office records.