'Not his fault': Victim's husband to withdraw case against Arjun
What's the story
Bhaskar, the husband of Revathi who tragically died in a stampede at Sandhya Theatre on December 4, has now said that he is ready to withdraw the case against Telugu actor Allu Arjun.
The actor had made an unannounced visit to a screening of his film Pushpa 2: The Rule.
Bhaskar told local news channels, "My son wanted to watch the movie so I took him to Sandhya Theatre. There Allu Arjun came and for that, it's not his fault."
Arrest details
Bhaskar learned about Arjun's arrest through news
Bhaskar also revealed that he wasn't informed by the police about Arjun's arrest. He said, "I saw Allu Arjun's arrest news on my mobile when I was at the hospital."
He further stressed that the actor had no connection with the incident and reiterated his readiness to withdraw the case.
Earlier on Friday, Arjun was arrested from his Jubilee Hills residence and taken to Chikkadpally Police Station in Hyderabad in connection with this case.
Online response
Arjun's arrest sparked social media trends
The news of Arjun's arrest had made #AlluArjunArrest trend on social media. However, soon after, his fans rallied support and #WeStandWithAlluArjun started trending. Many questioned how the actor was responsible for the woman's death.
Last week, during the screening of his film, many fans rushed to get a glimpse of him when he arrived at the theater unannounced. This unexpected turnout resulted in a stampede where Revathi died of asphyxiation and her eight-year-old son was left in critical condition.
Other side
Meanwhile, Arjun's reaction to arrest is creating stir
In a video doing rounds online, Arjun can be heard saying he was upset with the way he was arrested.
"Arresting me is not an issue but barging into my bedroom and not allowing me to change my clothes is a bit too much," he reportedly told a police officer while being taken from his house.
Earlier, he'd addressed the tragic incident and promised Revathi's family ₹25 lakh compensation.
Reportedly, theater owners knew about his arrival but police weren't informed.
Legal proceedings
Arjun has been granted a 14-day remand
A case was registered against Arjun and the theater management under the new criminal law, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), on the basis of a complaint by Revathi's family.
On December 11, Arjun approached the Telangana High Court seeking the cancelation of the first information report (FIR) registered against him.
Soon after his arrest, Arjun was granted a 14-day remand by Nampally Court.