Allu Arjun finally speaks up on Pushpa 2 stampede, asks 'when did I make mistake?'

Allu Arjun has finally addressed the accusations levelled against him in the Pushpa 2 stampede case that killed a woman. He held a press meeting on Saturday and said that a lot of misinformation had been circulated that felt like humiliation and character assassination to him. Though he remained apologetic about the ‘accidental accident’, he clarified that permission was sought from the theatre management and police cleared the way. 

 December 21, 2024

Arjun clarified his actions at the event, saying, "For two decades, you've witnessed my consistent behaviour and character. I've never engaged in fabricated stories about my personal life or film successes. It's disheartening to see unfounded claims surfacing now." Detailing his actions during the stampede incident, he said that he entered the venue assuming that the situation was under control. He said that he stepped out of his car a short distance and waved to the fans, in the hope that they'd catch a glimpse of him and disperse.

Further, Arjun admitted that he was not aware of the full extent of the tragedy until the following morning. He shared that he had planned to meet the affected family but was advised against it due to the ongoing judicial proceedings. He went on to express his intention behind visiting the theatre saying, "I dedicated three years to this film and went to watch it at the theatre. I've done this with seven of my previous films. It wasn't a roadshow or procession; just fans gathered outside the theatre. I waved as a gesture of respect, knowing that when fans see me, they calm down and disperse." He emphasized clarifying the ongoing ‘miscommunication’ ‘misinformation’, and ‘false allegations’ against him.

The actor set the record straight after Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, during a recent Assembly session, accused him of attending the premiere despite police denying permission. AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi also claimed that he didn’t care when he was told about the death of the woman and hospitalisation of the child during the incident. “The film star turned to them, smiled and said, now the film will be a hit,” claimed Owaisi. 

Meanwhile, Arjun was taken into custody on December 13 amid allegations that he and theatre management failed to notify authorities about his visit, which ultimately led to a fatal stampede. After spending a night at Chanchalguda Central Jail, Arjun was initially held under a 14-day judicial remand. However, the Telangana High Court later granted him interim bail for four weeks. He extended condolences and pledged Rs 25 lakh to the family of the deceased fan.