Actor Allu Arjun was released from jail on Saturday morning
Was there a gross misuse of power by the Telangana government in arresting Telugu superstar Allu Arjun in connection with the death of woman at the premiere of his 'Pushpa 2' movie? 34% of the people or 843 out of 2,502 people answered in the affirmative in an interactive voice response-based survey commissioned by NDTV and conducted by Prashnam.ai.
A 35-year-old woman died and her eight-year-old son was hospitalised on December 4 during a stampede-like situation at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad when thousands of fans jostled to have a glimpse of the 41-year-old actor at the premiere of the 'Pushpa 2 : The Rule', which is a sequel to 2021's blockbuster film "Pushpa: The Rise".
Thirty three percent or 841 out the 2,502 people surveyed said the police action in the matter was legitimate, while 14% said 'Can't Say', another 19% said they 'Did Not Wish To Answer'.
Following the incident, the city police registered a case against the national award winner actor, his security team, and the theatre management under different sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on the complaint lodged by the victim's family.
The incident unfolded as the actor arrived at the venue for the film's screening, attracting a large and excited crowd eager to catch a glimpse of him. The situation reportedly spiralled out of control when Allu Arjun waved to the crowd from the sunroof of his vehicle.
Authorities claim that this provoked the crowd, resulting in a stampede-like situation. Police allege that the actor's actions, combined with the pushing of the crowd by his security team to clear a path for the vehicle, led to the fatal accident.
According to police, despite being warned about the large gathering and potential risks, Allu Arjun's team failed to take immediate action.
Did the government shirk its responsibility in crowd management? 41% or 594 people out of 1,427 surveyed said 'Yes'. 32% or 453 people said 'No', while 15% said 'Can't say' and 12% said they 'Did Not Wish To Answer'.
The high-profile arrest also triggered a political slugfest with the BJP and BRS lashing out at the ruling Congress in Telangana, questioning the treatment meted out to the star. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has defended the actor's arrest, saying that the "law applies equally to all citizens, irrespective of their status".
"Nobody is talking about the woman who died or about her son who is in coma. He won't have mother when he wakes up from coma," said Mr Reddy, while speaking at a media event.
"A movie star or a political star, our government doesn't care. We only care about who committed the crime. A woman died in the incident. Who is responsible for this," the Chief Minister asked.
Arrested on Friday, Allu Arjun secured a bail and was released on Saturday morning. The actor, however, had to spend a night in jail. Upon his release from jail, the actor thanked his fans and expressed his condolences to the victim's family. "It was an unfortunate incident. We are sorry for what happened," he said.
Forty percent or 459 out of 1,160 surveyed said the Telangana government acted in haste in arresting the superstar. Asked if the state government was right in taking such an action, 41% or 472 people answered in the affirmative, while 14% said 'Can't Say' and another 8% said they 'Did Not Wish To Answer'.
Reacting to the arrest, BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Home, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, said the actor deserved better treatment, while BRS Working President KT Rama Rao slammed the state government for treating the star like a "common criminal".
Adding a twist to the case, the victim's husband said he doesn't find fault with the actor for the tragedy and was ready to withdraw his case over the incident.