On Sunday, Telangana DGP Jitender emphasised that the safety and security of citizens should be the top priority for everyone, including film personalities. This statement came a day after Allu Arjun held a press conference to refute new allegations related to the stampede at the Pushpa 2: The Rule premiere.
DGP Jitender responded to questions about the death of a woman in a stampede at the Pushpa 2: The Rule premiere, addressing comments made by Allu Arjun. He clarified that the police have no personal issues with anyone but stressed that everyone, including film personalities, must act responsibly for the safety of the state’s citizens.
He further emphasised that while film stars are heroes on screen, they must also understand the real-life issues of society. He stated that promoting a film should not be prioritized over the safety of citizens. He acknowledged that the incident was unfortunate and stressed that such events are harmful to public safety and security.
Chikkadapally CI Raju Nayak clarified that he had explicitly denied permission for Allu Arjun to visit the theatre during the premiere. He expressed regret over not being able to prevent the tragic loss of life and mentioned that he feared for his own life during the stampede.
ACP Ramesh confirmed that Allu Arjun was informed about the stampede while he was at Sandhya Theatre. He stated that Arjun’s manager, Santosh, was the first to be notified about the death and the situation worsening. However, Ramesh claimed they were not allowed to meet the actor due to Santosh and another individual.
ACP Ramesh shared that he had urged the team to inform Allu Arjun, but they didn’t. When the DGP asked him to speak to the actor, he went in person. Ramesh told Arjun, “You’re a celebrity, and our officers have cleared a way for you,” advising him to leave. It was only after the DGP gave him 10 more minutes that Arjun agreed to leave.
The Telangana police‘s statement matches the comments made by CM Revanth Reddy and MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi in the assembly.
A woman died and her eight-year-old son was injured in a stampede during the screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule earlier this month. Allu Arjun, who was at the theatre at the time, was arrested in connection with the incident but was granted interim bail by the high court. The actor stated in a press meet that he was unaware of the incident until the following day.
