Actor Allu Arjun, who was arrested following a fatal stampede at the Sandhya Theatre during the premiere of Pushpa 2 on December 4, has been granted interim bail by the Telangana High Court. The tragic incident, which led to the death of a woman and several injuries, raised concerns regarding crowd control at public events.
The Telangana High Court’s ruling came after hearing arguments from Allu Arjun’s legal team, which contended that the actor had no intention or knowledge that his presence at the theatre would result in the tragedy. The court emphasized that there was no malafide intent on the part of Allu Arjun, granting him bail for four weeks on a personal bond of Rs 50,000.
During the proceedings, Allu Arjun’s lawyer argued that the case of culpable homicide was not applicable. The lawyer stated that the death of the victim, identified as Revathi, was caused by asphyxiation from the crowd surge and not by any direct action or negligence on the actor’s part. The defense further referenced a 2017 case involving actor Shah Rukh Khan, who was similarly blamed for a stampede during a promotional event for Raees but was later exonerated due to lack of criminal intent.
The tragic incident occurred when a large crowd gathered at the Sandhya Theatre in anticipation of the Pushpa 2 screening, resulting in a stampede that led to the fatality. While the investigation into the cause of the mishap continues, it has prompted renewed discussions about the safety protocols for managing large crowds at high-profile events.
For the unversed, the husband of the deceased, Bhaskar, has expressed his willingness to withdraw the case, stating that he does not hold Allu Arjun responsible for his wife’s death. In a statement, Bhaskar said, “I was not aware of the arrest, and I believe Allu Arjun had no involvement in the incident.”
As the investigation proceeds, Allu Arjun’s interim bail provides a brief respite, though the incident continues to raise pertinent questions about crowd safety at public events.
