Pushpa 2 actor Allu Arjun did not leave the theatre during the screening of his movie on December 4 despite being told to do so after a stampede that claimed the life of a woman, claimed police officials.
While addressing the press on Sunday, Hyderabad city police commissioner C V Anand showed a video made by the police that collated footage from news channels and cell phones to give an overall picture of the post-stampede situation, which suggests the actor remained in the theatre till midnight on the premiere day.
Without making any comment on the video, Anand said the media can draw its own conclusions.
Detailing the sequence of events on the fateful night of December 4, the police official said that he and his colleagues informed Allu Arjun's manager about the woman's death and the out-of-control situation, indicating that they were not allowed to meet the actor.
He said that despite Allu Arjun's staff saying they would convey the matter to the actor, they failed to do so.
The official said he later managed to reach the actor, told him about the woman's death, and asked him to leave the theatre to prevent the fans from harming each other while trying to catch a glimpse of him.
The official also told the actor that security arrangements would be made for his exit. However, the actor said he would go only after watching the film, the police official said. Later, accompanied by a senior officer, the official went inside and brought the actor out, he said.
On Sunday, Allu Arjun urged fans to exercise caution on social media. "I appeal to all my fans to express their feelings responsibly, as always, and not resort to any kind of abusive language or behavior both online and offline. Misrepresenting as my fans with fake IDs and fake profiles, if someone indulges in abusive posts, strong action will be taken against them. I request the fans not to engage with such posts," he said in a statement posted on his official X handle.
