Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy Saturday lambasted actor Allu Arjun in particular, and the film fraternity in general, while discussing in the legislative assembly the stampede incident at the Sandhya Theatre on December 4 evening that left a woman dead and her 9-year-old son in coma. Making an impassioned speech on the events that led to the stampede during the premiere of Pushpa 2, the CM accused Arjun of disregarding police instructions and refusing to leave the theatre even after being told that a woman had died. “Aisa bhi log hote hain,” the CM said, replying to All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, who asked if reports of Arjun’s insensitive behaviour were true. The stampede left 39-year-old M Revathi dead. The CM said that the Chikkadpally Police Station did not give permission citing security and possible law and order problems. “There is only one entry and exit. In spite of being informed not to go to the theatre, the hero went there. Not only did he go there, he came out from the sunroof of his vehicle and started waving to the thousands of fans who had gathered here while 50-60 bouncers of his private security team pushed the fans. In the melee, police found the lifeless bodies of the mother who had not let her son’s hand go even though she had passed away,” he said. Authorities provided first aid and rushed the boy to the hospital where he’s now in coma, Reddy said. “That family’s income is only Rs 30,000 but as their son is a great fan of Arjun, they coughed Rs 3,000 per ticket, paying Rs 12,000 in total (for the family of four) to fulfil the boy’s wish to see the movie. That mom is dead and the boy is in hospital, I ask, has the actor or any other actor of the film, any other cine star or director or producer bothered to visit the father or the son at the hospital? I don’t understand how inhumane people can be,” he said. He also addressed the outrage that followed Allu Arjun’s arrest. “The hero is accused number 11 in the case and nine days after the incident, when police went to his house and took him to the police station, opposition leaders abused me. He spent a few hours in jail, and the next day everyone goes to his home to greet him as if he's lost an arm, a leg, or an eye in an accident. All the big stars and cinema stalwarts visited him but none had the humanity to go visit the boy,” he said. The CM claimed that after finding the woman dead and the boy unconscious, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Chikkadpally) went back to the theatre to request Arjun to leave. “First the theatre management did not allow the ACP and police team to go near Arjun, as per the City Police Commissioner. They stalled the police team for several minutes. With the hero still inside the theatre, there were thousands of fans still outside waiting to catch a glimpse of him… In spite of the DCP telling him to leave at around midnight, Arjun did not want to go saying he wants to see the entire movie. Under the circumstances, the DCP told him he would be taken to the police station if he did not comply,” he said. Instead of leaving “without a fuss”, the actor chose to greet his fans through the sunroof of his car “with total indifference to what had transpired in his presence”, the CM alleged. “If such inhuman people are taken to the police station because they are accused in the case, even those who have worked as ministers for 10 years are criticising the government. When those responsible for the death are called to the police station. these politicians used very vile language to blame the government,” he said. He further said: “Our government gave permission for special shows thinking that it wanted to promote the film industry. But this kind of behaviour cannot continue at the cost of human lives. I don't know what the figures in the film industry want but we will not agree to play with lives”.
