The tragic stampede at the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule continues to make waves, with Telangana leaders and celebrities clashing over the events surrounding it. A day after Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi raised questions about Allu Arjun’s role in the incident, MLC Venkat Balmoor became the latest to call out the actor, demanding self-reflection on his part in the tragedy.
In a video posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Venkat criticized Allu Arjun for his response following the stampede, which led to the death of a woman and left her young son in critical condition. The incident occurred on December 4 when Allu Arjun attended the Pushpa 2 premiere at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad. The actor’s presence triggered an overwhelming rush of fans, resulting in the stampede. Venkat claimed that Arjun’s press conference, held the day before, lacked genuine empathy for the victims.
“I had hoped that your press conference was out of repentance,” Venkat said in the video. “But despite knowing about the tragedy at the theatre, you denied your involvement, and even after learning about it the next day, you were seen bursting firecrackers. When people die, showing some empathy for the victim’s family is essential.”
Venkat also criticized Arjun for his remarks about bringing pride to Telugu people, saying that pride shouldn’t come at the cost of lives. The MLC called for the actor to take back his words and reflect on his actions, pointing out that true leadership in times of tragedy involves supporting those affected.
The controversy has sparked a political firestorm, with Akbaruddin Owaisi and CM Revanth Reddy alleging that Allu Arjun was informed about the stampede during the premiere but seemed indifferent to the gravity of the situation. Revanth even claimed that Arjun had ignored the deaths of the victims and had to be forcefully removed by the police when he refused to leave the theatre after being informed of the tragic incident.
Allu Arjun, visibly emotional, responded to these allegations during a press meet on Saturday evening. He denied the charges and said, “This is a low point in my life. I have a child of the same age as the victim in the coma. As a father, I understand the pain the family is going through.” His emotional defense, however, failed to quell the growing anger over the incident.
Following the tragic event, the actor was arrested on December 13 but was granted interim bail the next day. His visit to Sandhya Theatre on December 4, accompanied by co-star Rashmika Mandanna, had attracted massive fan attention. The excitement turned deadly when the crowd overwhelmed the theatre, leading to the stampede.
The incident has raised serious concerns over the safety of large public gatherings, especially when celebrities are involved. While Allu Arjun maintains his innocence, the tragic loss of life has sparked intense debate over the responsibilities of public figures during such events and their reactions to unforeseen calamities.
