Telugu superstar Allu Arjun was arrested on Friday over the stampede at the premiere of his blockbuster film ‘Pushpa 2: The Rise’ in Hyderabad that led to the death of a woman on December 4. The police charges and how he was arrested has thrown up questions if there is an overapplication of law here and if the cops are trying to cover up their lapses.

On Friday morning, Hyderabad police personnel landed up at Allu Arjun’s residence and took him and his bodyguard into custody.

The Pushpa star, his security team, and the Sandhya Theatre 70 MM management were booked under Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 118(1) (punishment for causing hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The police had earlier arrested the owner and two employees of the iconic Sandhya 70 MM Theatre in Hyderabad.

The police is trying to hold Allu Arjun and the others charged responsible for the death of Revathi after her husband filed a case against them.

Revathi was killed in the stampede on December 4 when a large number of fans thronged Sandhya 70 MM Theatre to have a glimpse of Allu Arjun and his Pushpa 2.0 co-star Rashmika Mandhana.

Police alleged there were no arrangements by the theatre management or prior information about the arrival of the actor.

WHY POLICE ACTION AGAINST ALLU ARJUN IS BEING QUESTIONED

The police action came even as he approached the Telangana High Court seeking to get his name dropped from the FIR. Hearing in the appeal is due.

People are criticising the charges, especially, of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, slapped on the Pushpa 2.0 actor, calling it an overapplication of law.

There is a fat chance that the charges will stand in a court of law.

“Under what charges Allu Arjun could be arrested? Was he the organizer? Did he cause the stampede,” asked an advocate Sunil Sharma on X. The advocate then asked a question: “If I am walking on the road, someone runs at me but dies in middle of the road, hit by a truck, I’ll be charged for killing him?”

Sharma as well as some other people, insinuated that it could very well be a publicity stunt.

The seriousness of the police in arresting Allu Arjun was mocked on social media platforms.

“Actor Allu Arjun has been detained for visiting a cinema to watch his own film,” commented satirist and columnist Kamlesh Singh, popular as ‘Tau’ of Teen Taal podcast on Aaj Tak Radio.

Added to these criticisms is also police negligence and the way the Pushpa 2.0 actor was arrested from his home.

IS TELANGANA POLICE TRYING TO COVER UP OWN LAPSES?

On Friday, within hours of Allu Arjun’s arrest, a letter from Sandhya 70 MM Theatre to Hyderabad Police emerged.

Dated December 2, two days before Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandhana’s visit to the theatre, the letter was addressed to the assistant commissioner of police, Chikkadpally, and requested police for security management.

The letter detailed the time of the visit and mentioned that the theatre management was expecting “heavy fans crowd” as “the Hero, Heroine and VIPs and Production unit of the film” were coming to watch the movie.

The letter, stamped upon receiving, proves the police argument wrong. It shows the police were aware of the visit of the stars at Sandhya 70MM Theatre on December 4.

The big question now is if Hyderabad Police is trying to cover up for their own lapses.

People are calling the stampede and the resultant death a police failure.

ALLU ARJUN NO FUGITIVE. WAY OF ARREST RAISES QUESTIONS

The other question — is Allu Arjun being targeted so that the police can make an example out of a big star?

The police created a spectacle in the way it arrested Allu Arjun from his residence, even following him to his bedroom when he went to change his clothes.

In a video that has now gone viral, shows the Telugu superstar objecting to the manner in which he was arrested and how several cops went to his bedroom when he went to change his dress. Arjun, who was wearing a green t-shirt when the police arrived, changed to the Pushpa 2 hoodie before being taken away.

Is the police behaviour justified as Allu Arjun is no fugitive or hardened criminal and definitely not a flight risk.

Why raising these questions of police high-handedness become necessary is because this is how police generally function in India. People are flabbergasted because if this can happen to a superstar, how is any taxpayer safe? Police personnel are still rooted in the pre-Independence colonial mentality of power even after 75 years of Independence. Questions must be asked and liability fixed in every case, be it that of a superstar or a humble commoner.