Actor Allu Arjun has approached the Telangana High Court, seeking the cancellation of an FIR filed against him in connection with the tragic death of a woman during the premiere of his film Pushpa 2: The Rule at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on December 4.
The incident occurred when over one lakh fans gathered at the theatre to catch a glimpse of the star. The chaos led to a stampede, resulting in the death of a 39-year-old woman, Revathi, from asphyxiation. Her eight-year-old son was hospitalised following the event.
The deceased’s family filed a complaint at the Chikkadapally Police Station, leading to a case under Sections 105 and 118(1) read with 3(5) of the BNS Act. The complaint names the theatre management, Allu Arjun, and his security team as accused. Central Zone DCP Akshansh Yadav confirmed the investigation is ongoing, saying, “We have to identify who in his security team were present yesterday and who pushed people, creating this situation. There is no lapse on the police’s part.”
According to reports, tensions rose when the actor’s security team allegedly used aggressive force to manage the crowd, toppling several individuals and causing a stampede. Furthermore, the actor’s team reportedly violated crowd management protocols by entering through an already packed area, exacerbating the chaos.
At a success press conference for Pushpa 2, Allu Arjun expressed his grief over the incident, stating, “It took me time to respond psychologically… When we heard what happened, we all blanked out. Sukumar garu [the film’s director] became really emotional; all our energies went down.”
The actor also announced financial assistance for the bereaved family, offering ₹25 lakh as a gesture of support. “The money I’ve given is only a gesture to show we’re there for them. I don’t want to disturb them; I’m giving them their space. I’ll help them in whatever way I can,” he said, promising to meet the family once they recover from their loss.
The Telangana High Court is expected to hear the petition in the coming days as investigations continue into the incident.