Hours after a discussion in the Telangana Legislative Assembly about the behaviour of actor Allu Arjun in the aftermath of a woman’s death at Sandhya 70 MM cinema hall, the actor dismissed it as “character assassination” without naming anyone or the forum.
Speaking in a press conference, Mr. Arjun, flanked by his father and a lawyer, gave his side of the story, and termed the death of the woman and the injury to the child an accident. The stampede at the cinema resulted in the death of a 35-year-old woman; her eight-year-old son is battling for life in a hospital.
“This is an unfortunate accident, and it is nobody’s fault. Everyone, including the police and myself, acted with positive intentions,” Mr. Arjun said, condoling with the family and wishing the injured child a speedy recovery. The actor informed the media that he was receiving hourly updates on the child’s condition.
The actor described the situation as being marred by misinformation and miscommunication, claiming that much of the narrative being shared was inaccurate. “There has been an attempt at character assassination. Despite the success of the film, we have cancelled all celebratory events to focus on the issue,” he added.
“It was not a roadshow; I was asked to wave to the fans so that they disperse, which I did out of respect for those waiting to see me. Had I known there was no permission, I would have turned back,” he said. He added that no police officer approached him while he watching the film. It was only after his team alerted him about the overcrowding that he decided to leave the venue.
“It was only the next day that I learned of the incident involving the death of a woman and an eight-year-old being hospitalised. My team advised me against visiting the hospital, and later, I was informed that a case had been filed against me. It was not appropriate for me to meet the family under these circumstances,” he said.
Published – December 21, 2024 09:24 pm IST