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Refusing to blame Telangana Police for the action against actor Allu Arjun in the theatre stampede case, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said the law is equal for all and police must act with public safety in mind. Mr Kalyan, leader of NDA ally Janasena Party, praised Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy as a "great leader" and suggested that Allu Arjun should have visited the family of the woman killed in the stampede earlier.
Speaking to reporters in an informal interaction at Mangalagiri, Mr Kalyan shared his perspective on the stampede incident at Hyderabad's Sandhya Theatre on December 4.
Allu Arjun visited the theatre where his movie Pushpa 2 was being screened. The film star's visit led to chaos. A 35-year-old woman, Revathi, died in the incident and her son was injured. Soon after, Hyderabad police registered a case against Allu Arjun. He was arrested and granted bail shortly after.
Mr Kalyan today said it was important for law enforcement authorities to prioritise public safety. "The law is equal for all, and I do not blame the police in such incidents, they act with public safety in mind. That said, the theater staff should have informed Allu Arjun earlier about any issues. Once he sat in the seat, they should have instructed him to vacate it if necessary."
Mr Kalyan is related to Allu Arjun. Allu Arjun's aunt Surekha is married to renowned actor Chiranjeevi, Pawan Kalyan's elder brother.
“It would have been better if someone had visited the victim's family earlier on behalf of Allu Arjun. Revathi's death in this incident has deeply shocked me. They turned what was already lost into an even greater tragedy. We should have conveyed earlier that we are all here to support the family. There should have been a sense of regret for the mistake, even if it happened without their direct involvement. There is a clear lack of humanity in this matter. Everyone should have gone to Revathi's house to offer reassurance and condolences. The people's anger stems from the absence of such a gesture. Arjun, too, feels the pain of knowing that someone lost their life because of this incident,” Mr Kalyan said.
Cinema, he said, is a collaborative effort. :It is not fair to make Allu Arjun solely responsible for the incident. Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, in his capacity as Chief Minister, responded appropriately to the developments following the stampede. Sometimes, decisions are dictated by circumstances. In the past, even Chiranjeevi used to watch movies with his fans. Otherwise, he would wear a mask and go to the theater alone.”
The Andhra Deputy Chief Minister described Telangana Chief Minister Reddy as a leader who has risen from humble beginnings. "Telangana CM Revanth Reddy is a great leader, who has risen from humble beginnings. He did not do like YSRCP, but instead focused on providing benefits in his state. Flexibility was granted for increasing ticket prices, which boosted movie collections. Films like Salaar and Pushpa 2 achieved massive box office success with his cooperation."
The Sandhya Theatre incident has divided public opinion, with many questioning how Allu Arjun could be blamed for the stampede death and another section arguing that he cannot escape accountability just because he is a film star.
Amid the face-off, a delegation from the Telugu film industry met Chief Minister Reddy. The Chief Minister, it is learnt, told the delegation that the industry has full support of the state government, but there will be no compromise on law and order. "As the Chief Minister, it is my responsibility to enforce the law. I do not have any personal preferences," sources quoted the Chief Minister as saying.