Allu Arjun grilled by police for over three hours in theatre stampede case

Telugu actor Allu Arjun was on Tuesday grilled by police for over three hours when he appeared before them for questioning in connection with the death of a woman in a stampede during the screening of 'Pushpa-2' in Hyderabad on December 4.

Arjun reached the Chikkadpally police station accompanied by his father Allu Aravind and lawyers a little after 11 AM and the questioning was held till 2.45 PM. A police team led by Central Zone DCP Akshansh Yadav questioned the actor.

Tight security arrangements were made at the Chikkadpally police station in view of the star's appearance. Heavy police deployment was made, while police also imposed restrictions on traffic on the roads leading to the police station.

The actor was issued a notice on December 23 to appear before the police at 11 AM today.

The police, in their notice for the appearance of Allu Arjun, said his presence is essential before the SHO of Chikkadpally police station to elicit answers about the stampede incident and if necessary for visiting the scene of offence, in order to ascertain the facts.

Earlier in the day, security was stepped up at his residence at posh Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad and the actor waved to media before leaving for the police station. Allu Arjun has earlier said he would cooperate with the investigation.

The notice to Allu Arjun on December 23 came a day after police commissioner C V Anand released a video showing the sequence of events at the theatre. A 35-year-old woman died during the stampede at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on December 4 and her eight-year-old son was hospitalised.

Following the incident, the city police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under different sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on the complaint lodged by the deceased woman's family.

Allu Arjun, named as accused no 11, was arrested by the city police in connection with the death of the woman on December 13. The Telangana High Court granted him a four-week interim bail on the same day and he was released from a prison in Hyderabad December 14 morning.