Hyderabad Police have arrested Telugu star Allu Arjun in connection with the death of a woman in a stampede at a screening of ‘Pushpa 2 The Rule’. The incident took place on December 4 when there was a mass panic at the premiere of his latest film ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ at a theater in Hyderabad. A 35-year-old woman died in the incident and her nine-year-old son was taken to hospital for suffocation. (Also read: Allu Arjun wants Telangana HC to quash the FIR lodged against him over the death of a woman during the premiere of Pushpa 2.)

Allu Arjun arrested

A team of police officials from Chikkadpally police station in Hyderabad reached Allu Arjun’s residence in Jubilee Hills and took him into custody. He was taken to the police station where he was to be questioned, police said.

The incident took place on the night of December 4 when a large crowd of fans entered the Sandhya Theater at the busy RTC Crossroads to catch a glimpse of the actor.

The deceased has been identified as Revathi, police said. She was accompanied by her son Sri Teja, who also suffocated and is being treated at a hospital where he is recovering.

Police said a case has been lodged against the actor, his security team and the theater management at Chikkadpally police station under Sections 105 and 118(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on the family’s complaint of the deceased was initiated.

In a strange coincidence, a second fan died at a Pushpa 2 screening on Monday. Kalyandurgam Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ravi Babu told PTI that 35-year-old Harijana Madhannappa was found dead by the theater’s cleaning staff around 6 pm on Monday. He had attended the matinee screening of the film in Rayadurgam around 2:30 pm in a drunken state and the police are still investigating the cause of his death.

Allu Arjun’s reaction to the tragedy

On Wednesday, Arjun filed a petition in the High Court seeking quashing of the FIR and sought stay of all further proceedings, including arrest, pending the decision on the petition. The Supreme Court is expected to hear the matter in the coming days. The actor had previously announced financial support ₹25 lakh to the family of the deceased woman.