Allu Arjun arrested following stampede death at movie screening

INDIAN actor Allu Arjun was arrested on Friday after a stampede during a movie screening led to the death of a woman, according to police and local media.

Large crowds had gathered earlier this month at a theatre in Hyderabad, southern India, to see the actor at the screening of his film Pushpa 2: The Rule. The event reportedly led to a stampede, resulting in the death of a woman and injuries to her son.

Police said the 42-year-old actor was taken into custody on suspicion of three offences, including voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means. Seven others had already been arrested in connection with the case, a police officer told AFP, speaking anonymously as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Footage shared by TV9 on the social media platform X showed Arjun holding a coffee mug while speaking to officers at his residence during the arrest.

The victim, a woman in her 30s, had attended the screening with her son, who sustained serious injuries. Following the incident, the woman's family filed a complaint against Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management, according to India Today.

Arjun expressed his grief in a statement two days after the accident. "While respecting their need for space to grieve, I stand committed to extend every possible assistance to help them navigate through this challenging journey," he wrote on X.

Arjun is a prominent actor in southern India, and the Pushpa franchise has been a box office success. He received the National Film Award for Best Actor for his role in the first installment, released two years ago.

(With inputs from AFP)