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The South Indian star was arrested over a stampede that killed a woman and injured a child at a screening of his latest blockbuster
Published : 14 Dec 2024, 02:27 PM
South Indian superstar Allu Arjun has promised to cooperate in the probe into the stampede at the screening of his latest blockbuster 'Pushpa 2: The Rule' that killed a woman and seriously injured a child in Hyderabad following his release from jail.
He stressed that he is a law-abiding citizen and expressed his condolences to the victim's family after being freed on bail on Saturday, Indian broadcaster NDTV reports.
"I want to thank all my fans. There is nothing to worry about. I would like to once again express my condolences to the family. It was an unfortunate incident. We are sorry for what happened," he said.
Allu Arjun was arrested on Friday in connection with the fatal incident at Hyberabad's Sandhya Theatre on Dec 4. Despite securing bail from a Telangana High Court, he had to spend the night behind bars as the jail authorities did not received a copy of the bail order until late last night.
The actor's counsel Ashok Reddy pointed the finger at the authorities for the delay in his release from jail. "The High Court order is very specific. Forthwith, the moment you [prison authorities] receive the order, [they should] release him. Despite the clear order, they have not released, they have to answer. This is an illegal detention. We will take legal steps," he is quoted as saying by NDTV.
Hours after Allu Arjun's arrest, the victim's husband said that he was "ready to withdraw the case".
"I was not aware of the arrest. Allu Arjun has nothing to do with the stampede in which my wife passed away," he said.
ALLU ARJUN THANKS SUPPORTERS
After an emotional reunion with his family, the actor expressed gratitude to everyone who supported him following his arrest, especially his fans. He reiterated that the stampede and subsequent death of the woman were "purely accidental and unintentional, with no connection to me".
He added that he had been visiting Sandhya Theatre for 20 years and had never witnessed such an incident before.
WHAT HAPPENED ON DEC 4?
A 35-year-old woman died and her eight-year-old son was hospitalised after a stampede broke out as thousands of fans gathered to catch a glimpse of Allu Arjun at the premiere of the blockbuster Pushpa 2.
WHAT ARE THE CHARGES?
In the aftermath of the incident, city police filed a case against the actor, his security team, and the theatre management based on a complaint lodged by the woman's family.
Reacting to the arrest, Rashmika Mandanna, Arjun's Pushpa 2 co-star, said she was "disheartened to see everything being blamed on a single individual".
Actor Varun Dhawan also weighed in, saying, "Safety protocols can't be solely the responsibility of an actor. We can inform people around us, but the incident was tragic, and I express my condolences. However, the blame can't rest on one person alone."
