Pushpa 2 Stampede: Allu Arjun did not leave theatre despite tragedy, bouncers clashed with fans, police, says report

Pushpa 2 Stampede: Bouncers hired by Allu Arjun reportedly clashed with both fans and police during a tragic stampede at the screening of his film Pushpa-2, raising serious concerns about the responsibilities of VIPs in such situations. Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand stated, “VIPs will be held accountable for the behavior of the bouncers they employ,” following the incident that led to the death of a woman on December 4.

At a year-end press conference, Commissioner Anand unveiled a video compilation showcasing the chaos that unfolded during the screening at Sandhya Theatre. The footage, gathered from news reports and mobile recordings, revealed that Allu Arjun remained in the theatre until midnight, despite being informed about the tragic events outside. 

While Anand did not comment directly on the video, he noted, “The media can draw its own conclusions.”

According to police officials, they had informed Allu Arjun’s manager about the woman’s death and urged his team to facilitate the actor’s exit to prevent further crowding. 

However, access to Allu Arjun was denied initially, PTI reported. 

A police official detailed, “We requested the actor’s team to convey the gravity of the situation, but there was no immediate response.” When police finally managed to reach Arjun directly, they offered to arrange a secure exit; however, he allegedly insisted on finishing the screening first.

The situation escalated as bouncers hired by Arjun clashed with fans and police during the stampede. Commissioner Anand warned that strict legal action would be taken if allegations of misconduct by these bouncers were proven true.

Asked if the police would appeal against the interim bail granted to Allu Arjun, the commissioner refused to give a direct response, just saying it is part of the investigation.

What course of action is taken would be known in the days to come, he said.

He also declined to comment when asked if the family of the deceased told him about Allu Arjun’s team or film production team allegedly threatening them not to speak on the issue.