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Telangana police insist they informed Allu Arjun about fan death at Pushpa 2 premiere: ‘He wanted to complete the film’
Telangana DGP and ACP criticised Allu Arjun for not caring about people's safety at the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule on December 4.
On Sunday, the Telangana DGP Jitender said film personalities and all others should understand that the safety and security of citizens are of utmost importance, and they should conduct themselves accordingly. This comes a day after Allu Arjun held a press meet to deny fresh allegations levied against him in Pushpa 2: The Rule premiere stampede case. (Also Read: Allu Arjun claims people are 'misrepresenting' fans with fake IDs, urges calm amid new allegations in Pushpa 2 stampede)
DGP Jitender on Allu Arjun
He was responding to a query on the issue of the death of a woman in a stampede at the screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule earlier this month and certain comments of Arjun. He said the police have nothing personally against any individual but, at the same time, all should be responsible to the citizens of the state.
"They are heroes in films. But, on the ground, they should understand the problems of society. The promotion of a film is not as important as the safety of the citizens. Something wrong has happened. We all should understand that such incidents are not good for the safety and security of the citizens," he told reporters in Karimnagar district.
Chikkadapally CI Raju Nayak also stated that he categorically denied permission for Arjun to visit the theatre during thepremiere, stating he feels bad he ‘couldn't save a life’. He also claimed he thought he would ‘die’ too in the stampede.
ACP Ramesh also reiterated to the press that Arjun was informed by the police about the stampede when he was watching the film at Sandhya Theatre. He said, “Allu Arjun's manager Santosh was the first to be informed about the death while they were in the theatre. We also told him situation was losing control and a boy was hospitalised. But we weren't allowed to meet the actor by Santosh and another man.”
ACP Ramesh said he insisted they inform Arjun, but they didn't. When the DCP insisted the ACP to tell the actor, he went and told him in person. “You are a celebrity, our officers have cleared a way for you, I told him, asking him to leave. But he insisted on completing the film. When DCP came in and gave him 10 minutes to leave, it's only then that he budged.”
The Telangana police's statement aligns with what CM Revanth Reddy and MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi said in the assembly.
What happened
A woman died, while her eight-year-old son suffered injuries in a stampede at the screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule in a theatre here earlier this month. Arjun, who was visiting the theatre then, was arrested in connection with the case, and the high court granted him interim bail. The actor insisted at a press meet held at his home on Saturday that he did not know of the incident till the next day.
With inputs from PTI
