In Allu Arjun’s bail hearing, court recalls stampede during SRK-starrer Raees’ release

Telugu actor Allu Arjun’s bail hearing in the Telangana High Court on Friday drew parallels to a similar case involving Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan and his movie ‘Raees’, in which one person lost their life.

The actor was arrested earlier in the day in connection with a tragic stampede related to the premiere of his film ‘Pushpa 2’ after which his legal team moved the Telangana High Court to seek a quashing of the FIR lodged against him.

According to the Live Law, during the bail hearing, Allu Arjun’s lawyer referenced the stampede tragedy that occurred during ‘Raees’ promotion pointing out that the main question before the court was whether there was any rash or negligent behaviour involved.

The lawyer explained that in the case of Shah Rukh Khan, the actor had thrown clothes into the crowd at a railway station, which led to the stampede, yet he was ultimately not found criminally liable.

Furthermore, the lawyer contended that Allu Arjun was on the first floor of Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre when the stampede occurred on the ground floor.

For the unversed, the ‘Raees’ stampede took place in 2017 at the railway station in Gujarat’s Vadodara. Shah Rukh Khan and his production team were travelling from Mumbai to Delhi to promote the film and upon the train’s arrival, the actor attempted to engage with fans, throwing t-shirts and ‘smiley balls’ into the crowd, which led to the stampede.

Subsequently, the Gujarat High Court ordered the quashing of the criminal case against Shah Rukh Khan in April 2022. However, this ruling was later challenged in the Supreme Court, which upheld the High Court’s decision.

The South actor’s team also dismissed police claims that the authorities were not informed of the actor’s plan to attend the special hearing.

Court rules in favour of Allu Arjun after SRK argument

The court ruled in favour of Allu Arjun on Friday and granted him interim bail cine star Allu Arjun, hours after he was sent to 14-day judicial custody by a lower court in connection with the death of a woman at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on December 4.

The High Court bench also noted that the actor’s status as a highly popular figure should not compromise his right to liberty.

Meanwhile, heavy police security was deployed outside Chanchalguda Central Jail, where actor Allu Arjun was brought earlier in the evening after being remanded to custody.

What happened at Pushpa-2 premiere

Telugu cinema star Allu Arjun was arrested on Friday in connection with the tragic stampede at Sandhya Theatre on December 4 during the premiere of his film Pushpa 2: The Rule.

The incident led to the death of a woman, 35-year-old Revathi, and injuries to her son, prompting a police investigation that culminated in the arrest of three individuals and, later, the actor himself.