Allu Aravind, father of Telugu film actor Allu Arjun, during a press conference at his residence, in Hyderabad, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024.
After protesters vandalized Allu Arjun’s Jubilee Hills residence in Hyderabad on Sunday (December 22, 2024), the Telugu superstar’s father and film producer Allu Aravind stated that such incidents should not be encouraged. The protests had erupted in support for the woman who died at a stampede outside Sandhya Theatre on December 4 when Arjun made an allegedly unannounced appearance to a special screening of his latest film, Pushpa 2: The Rule.
While addressing the media, Aravind said, “Everyone has seen what happened at our house today. It is time for us to act accordingly; now is not the right time to react to anything. The police have taken in the offenders and filed a case against them. The police are ready to take away anyone else who comes here to create a ruckus. No one should encourage incidents like these.” Aravind added that he trusts the law to take its own course.
Tension had erupted on Sunday when a protest by the members of the Osmania University Joint Action Committee (OU JAC) escalated after they forcefully entered the premises of Arjun’s residence, vandalised flower pots and pelted stones. Later in the evening, a group gathered outside the house, insisting on being let inside. When the staff refused to open the gates, some individuals scaled the walls, entered the compound, and caused further damage. Security personnel intervened to prevent them from accessing the house, resulting in a confrontation.
The protesters were demanding justice for Revathi, who lost her life in the stampede. The tragedy that has shaken the film fraternity took place when Arjun, along with his family and co-star Rashmika Mandanna, visited the theatre for a special show. While Revathi lost her life, her eight-year-old son, Shri Tej, suffered serious injuries and remains in ventilator after suffering brain damage.
Allu Arjun, who had pledged support for the victims, has been in a whirlwind of trouble following allegations that no prior intimation was made by the actor’s team or the film crew to the Hyderabad police regarding his appearance at the theatre. Arjun was arrested on December 13, and later released on bail on December 14.
On Saturday, while discussing the issue in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy lambasted the film fraternity for their irresponsible behaviour over the stampede. Hours after the same, without naming anyone, Arjun described the situation as one marred by misinformation and miscommunication, claiming that much of the narrative being shared was inaccurate. “There has been an attempt at character assassination,” he said.
On Monday, the Hyderabad city police released a video detailing the timeline of events that led up to the stampede.
Published – December 23, 2024 01:56 pm IST
