Incident Overview
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw criticized the Congress government in Telangana following the arrest of actor Allu Arjun, which he claims demonstrates a lack of respect for the creative industry. This statement emerged shortly after the arrest was made in connection with a tragic incident that occurred during the premiere of Arjun’s highly anticipated film, Pushpa 2: The Rule, at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad. A stampede, triggered by a massive gathering of fans, resulted in the death of 39-year-old Revathi and left her son, Sri Teja, hospitalized due to asphyxiation.
Vaishnaw’s Criticism of State Management
The Union Minister described the chaos at Sandhya Theatre as a clear failure of the local administration to manage large gatherings properly. He accused Congress of using the incident as a publicity stunt to shift blame away from their own shortcomings. Vaishnaw emphasized in a post on X that the government should focus on assisting victims and holding accountable those responsible for the disarray, rather than targeting film personalities.
“Instead of continuously attacking film personalities, they should help those affected and punish those responsible for the arrangements that day,” he said. He also expressed disappointment that such negative incidents have become commonplace during the Congress’s time in power in Telangana.
Reactions from Political Spectrum
The arrest sparked a heated exchange between the Congress government and other political parties. KT Rama Rao, working president of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), also condemned the arrest, labeling it an example of “insecurity” among the ruling party. He emphasized that treating Arjun as a common criminal was unwarranted, particularly since he was not directly responsible for the tragic events.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy attempted to clarify that the state government had no part in the case against Arjun, asserting that the judicial system was operating independently.
Arrest Details and Legal Proceedings
Allu Arjun was taken into custody from his residence in Jubilee Hills and charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. He was later transferred to Chikkadpally police station for further processing. Following a judicial remand of 14 days, the Telangana High Court granted him interim bail, but he was required to remain in custody overnight due to delays in processing the bail order.
The incident leading to the arrest was linked to the stampede on December 4, which occurred as fans rushed to see Arjun. Police investigations revealed that the theater management had failed to properly notify law enforcement about the expected crowd, despite having requested adequate security measures.
Family of Victim Supports Arjun
Interestingly, Revathi’s family publicly expressed that they believed Arjun was not to blame for the incident and indicated a readiness to withdraw their complaint, which had triggered the police’s actions against him. Revathi’s husband, Mogadampalli Bhaskar, emphasized that Arjun should not be held accountable, asserting that they merely wanted to enjoy a movie premier.
Concluding Notes
The controversy surrounding Allu Arjun’s arrest not only highlights the ongoing tensions between political parties in Telangana but also raises questions about event management and responsibility during high-profile public gatherings. As the investigation continues, the incident remains a significant topic of discussion within both the film industry and political spheres in India.
