A renowned Indian actor has been arrested following the death of a woman in a crowd crush at the premiere of his latest film, Pushpa 2: The Rule.
Allu Arjun, a leading figure in the Telugu film industry, commonly referred to as “Tollywood,” was arrested at his home after a tragic incident during the premiere of Pushpa 2 in Hyderabad.
The incident occurred on 4 December when Arjun, 41, attended the highly anticipated event. As fans rushed to catch a glimpse of the star, a 39-year-old woman tragically lost her life, and her nine-year-old son sustained critical injuries in the chaos.
Earlier this week, police arrested the owner of the cinema where the incident took place. On Friday, Arjun was taken into custody at his residence.
According to a police complaint, the actor’s security team allegedly attempted to disperse the crowd near him, leading to the woman becoming breathless and collapsing. A copy of the complaint, accessed by Reuters, stated that Arjun was named in the initial investigation.
However, Arjun’s legal team has denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing that the actor deeply regrets the tragic outcome. After his arrest, Arjun was granted bail by a local court within hours and was expected to be released shortly.
In a statement, Arjun expressed his sorrow:
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the grieving family during this unimaginably difficult time,” he wrote. “While respecting their need for space to grieve, I stand committed to extend every possible assistance to help them navigate through this challenging journey.
Arjun is one of Tollywood’s most celebrated stars, renowned for his role in the action series Pushpa. With several major awards, over 28 million Instagram followers, and a reputation as one of India’s highest-paid actors, his arrest has sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry.
The incident has sparked discussions about crowd control measures at high-profile events and the responsibility of public figures in ensuring safety during fan interactions.
