Hyderabad, Karimnagar: The Hyderabad police on Sunday refuted actor Allu Arjun’s claim that he walked out of the Sandhya theater during the Pushpa 2 premiere after his manager informed him about the crowd, releasing a 10-minute video purported to show the events of the December 4 stampede, which left a woman dead and her son seriously injured, and The actor left the venue at midnight.
The footage shows senior officials including DCP and ACP escorting the actor out of the spot. In the footage, Allu Arjun was shown driving to the theater from RTC Crossroads earlier, waving to the crowd from the sunroof of his car, contradicting his earlier statement.
Addressing the media in Karimnagar on Sunday, DGP Jeetendra expressed his disappointment over the actor’s behavior during the incident. Allu Arjun may be a hero on screen, but as a citizen, he should act responsibly. Safety and security of citizens should be paramount,” the DGP said.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand declined to comment on the case, as the case was before the court, but asked the public to review the video evidence and draw their own conclusions.
DGP Jitendra said that legal action will be taken against Allu Arjun. “We are not against Allu Arjun personally. However, accountability is important, especially when public safety is compromised,” he said.
As part of the Hyderabad Police’s 2024 annual report presentation at the Integrated Command Control Center (ICCC), Commissioner Anand screened a series of videos detailing the stampede at Sandhya Theatre.
The footage is said to show Allu Arjun’s bouncers aggressively pushing back the agitated crowd, along with police personnel who were struggling to maintain order when the actor appeared. When the situation got out of control, the police resorted to baton charge to disperse the crowd.
Inside the theatre, Allu Arjun reportedly instructed his staff to close the doors, inadvertently increasing the pressure on the crowded inner balcony. This decision proved fatal, which 39-year-old M. Revathi died and seriously injured her son, 10-year-old Mr. Teja, who was fighting for life in hospital almost three weeks after the incident.
Revathi, her husband and two children were sitting on the lower balcony. As Allu Arjun reached the upper balcony with his family and team, the crowd surged ahead. The stampede separated Revathi and her son from the rest of the family.
At 9:45 pm, Revathi was found unconscious in the theater lobby along with her son. Although the police tried to rescue them, Revathi was declared brought dead after being taken to the hospital. His son is on a ventilator at Kim’s Hospital.
ACP L Ramesh Kumar said he informed Santosh, the actor’s manager, about the stampede and Revathi’s death. However, it is alleged that the manager hid the information from Allu Arjun.
ACP later approached the actor directly but was met with reluctance. “I informed him about the death and requested him to leave immediately, but he insisted on staying till the end of the film,” said the ACP.
Allu Arjun and his team were kicked out of the theater only after the DCP’s intervention.
“We have CCTV footage as proof. Allu Arjun entered the theater balcony at 10:10 pm and came out of the theater at 12:10 pm. We have evidence to prove this,” added the ACP.
Footage provided by authorities showed Allu Arjun, his wife and actress Rashmika Mandana being kicked out of the theatre. The actor can be seen blowing kisses in the air and waving to the crowd before leaving the scene.
Chikkadapally Circle Inspector B. Raju Naik became emotional as he recounted the rescue attempt. “Despite our best efforts, we could not save Revathi,” he said, wiping away tears. A clip showing Raju Naik and his team rescuing the victim has gone viral on social media.
“When I fell near the gate during the chaos, I was not sure if I would survive. I hope Revathi’s son survives the ordeal,” he added.
The inspector also revealed that the Sandhya theater management had assured the police that Allu Arjun’s visit would be informal, with no public events or road shows planned. Permission for the large event was previously denied due to security concerns, especially since the two theaters share the same entrance, he said.
Commissioner Anand issued a stern warning to agencies employing VIPs, VVIPs and bouncers. “Any harm caused by bouncers will hold the agencies and their clients accountable,” he said.
According to a reliable police source, the investigation team presented the video as an exhibit in the court.