New Delhi, India

In a shocking turn of events, actor Allu Arjun is currently under police custody. On Friday (Dec 13), the actor was arrested by the Hyderabad police in connection with the case of the death of a woman during a stampede at a cinema hall in the Indian city. 

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The 35-year-old female fan died after sustaining serious injuries in a stampede at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad during Pushpa 2 premiere. This was after the situation at the premiere got out of hand due to a surprise visit by the actor. 

The crowd went berserk to catch a single glimpse of the actor, leading to a stampede-like situation.

As the major news of Arjun's arrest comes, here's a timeline of the incident.

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How the surprise visit turned wrong

On December 4, Allu made a surprise visit to Hyderabad's Sandhya Theatre during the special screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule. The actor's unannounced visit caused chaos as the fans went crazy over his appearance. 

Struggling to catch a single glimpse of the actor, the huge crowd thronged over the theatres. Despite the presence of a huge police staff, the crowd got out of control, which ultimately led to chaos and stampede. 

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Back then, the police alleged that he arrived at the venue without informing them.

What happened at the Pushpa 2 screening?

The event took a tragic turn when a 35-year-old female fan named M Revathi became the victim of the stampede. 

Revathi was in the theatre with her husband, M Bhaskar, their son, and a daughter. According to the police, the family of four were standing near the theatre when the stampede occurred. At the same time, Revathi's husband, M Bhaskar, and their daughter managed to escape. But unfortunately, Revathi and her son got trapped in a stampede. Resulting in her tragic death and the hospitalisation of another. 

“The family, which was standing near the theatre entrance, was jostled and pushed down by the crowds. While Bhaskar and his daughter managed to escape with mild injuries, Revanthi and the minor son were trampled by the crowds,” the police official added.

Allu Arjun's apology

Following the tragedy, Allu Arjun expressed condolences on the tragic death of the woman as he offered financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh ($29,520) to the victim's family.

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In a video message, Arjun wrote in the caption, "Deeply heartbroken by the tragic incident at Sandhya Theatre. My heartfelt condolences go out to the grieving family during this unimaginably difficult time. I want to assure them they are not alone in this pain and will meet the family personally. While respecting their need for space to grieve, I stand committed to extend every possible assistance to help them navigate through this challenging journey."

He added, “As a goodwill gesture, I would like to extend financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the family. Additionally, we will take care of the medical expenses to ensure the injured members receive the best possible care. This is our way of showing that we are there for you, especially for the children in the family."

Case against Allu Arjun

Days after the incident, Hyderabad police filed a case against Arjun, his security team and the management of the theatre. Based on the complaint by the deceased's family, the case was registered under sections 105 and 118(1) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station.