Stampede case: Allu Arjun's bail petition hearing postponed to Monday
The Telangana High Court has postponed the bail hearing of popular Telugu actor Allu Arjun to Monday in the Sandhya Theatre stampede case. The decision was taken after the Chikkadpally police "requested additional time to file a counter to the actor's regular bail petition," reported GreatAndhra. The incident happened during Pushpa 2's premiere on December 4, resulting in a deadly stampede that killed a woman, Revathi, and critically injured her child.
Arjun made a virtual court appearance amid security concerns
Arjun, who was earlier expected to appear for the hearing in person, appeared virtually after his lawyers cited law and order concerns. The court accepted the request and Arjun briefly addressed the extension of his remand online. His 14-day remand period imposed by the Nampally Court ended on Friday (December 27). Moreover, the next hearing in the stampede incident has been rescheduled to January 10, reports said.
Background: Charges against Arjun and his response to allegations
The Hyderabad police registered a case against Arjun, his security team, and the theater management under different sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Chikkadpally police station. The incident sparked political controversy with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy blaming the actor for the tragedy. He said despite being denied permission due to safety concerns, Arjun attended the event. Meanwhile, Arjun dismissed these allegations as an attempt at "character assassination" and expressed his condolences to Revathi's family.
Arjun's arrest and subsequent bail in the stampede case
Arjun was arrested on December 13 in the stampede case. Three others, including the theater owner, manager, and security manager were also arrested for negligence but were later granted bail. The Telangana High Court granted Arjun bail hours after his arrest, observing charges like "assault with intent to murder" weren't applicable in this case.
'Pushpa 2' producers compensated victim's family
In the wake of the tragedy, Pushpa 2 producers Naveen Yerneni and Ravi Shankar extended financial assistance to the victim's family. They presented a cheque of ₹50L to Revathi's husband. Their son, Sri Tej, is undergoing treatment for his injuries.
