The situation turned even more horrific for the woman when the accused’s friend also ‘raped her in a hotel bathroom’, and she recently found out that she was ‘pregnant’.
Telugu actor Allu Arjun was questioned by Hyderabad Police Tuesday after a stampede at a city theatre this month killed a 35-year-old woman and left her eight-year-old with life-threatening injuries.
Mr Arjun, 41, had been summoned by the cops Monday to join the investigation.
Among the questions thrown at him by the police were:
The questions are in line with what sources told NDTV will be the focus of the investigation – a. did Mr Arjun have permission to appear at the theatre, and b. did he have permission to interact with fans outside the theatre, which is in a city neighbourhood home to other cinema halls?
Allu Arjun had been arrested by the police on December 13, nine days after the stampede at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre. Hours later he was sent to judicial custody for 14 days.
READ | “Just Because He’s An Actor…”: Court Grants Interim Bail To Allu Arjun
However, hours after that, in a dramatic twist, Mr Arjun was released on interim bail by the Telangana High Court, which cited his fundamental right to liberty and flagged possible police overreach. “Just because he is an actor… he cannot be held like this,” the court said.
The police have claimed Allu Arjun’s unannounced arrival at the theatre – for a special screening of his new film – prompted the stampede as large numbers of his fans jostled and shoved each other aside for a glimpse of the actor. The young woman died in the melee that followed.
The woman, whom police have identified as Revathi, and her son were pulled out from under the crowd by the cops, who performed emergency first aid and rushed them to hospital.
The police claim Mr Arjun arrived at 9.30 pm. As news of his arrival – he used the main entrance and spent 15-20 minutes outside – spread, hundreds gathered. His security team – and bouncers at the theatre – started pushing the crowd back and that aggravated the situation.
According to the timeline being built by the cops, Allu Arjun had, by this time, disappeared into the theatre – after holding what the police said was an impromptu roadshow despite warnings.
The cops also said the bouncers were “behaving recklessly”.
“Despite the presence of the public and police, they pushed everyone aside. Their sole focus was on the VIP (Mr Arjun),” Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand told reporters last week.
READ | In Stampede Row, CCTV Shows Cops Escorting Allu Arjun From Theatre
Mr Arjun has denied holding any roadshow. “I just waved to people and went inside. No cop asked me to leave… my manager told me there is a crowd and asked me to leave,” he said.
The actor, through his office, has also countered the police’s claim they were not informed about his arrival. A letter was made public shortly after his arrest; it was dated 48 hours prior to the screening and asked for security to be made for a visit by Mr Arjun and his co-stars.
READ | After Allu Arjun’s Arrest, Letter Contradicts Cops’ “No Info” Claim
The police, though, have said no details were provided and that neither Mr Arjun’s security team nor theatre management made the request in person, as is the protocol in such cases.
The actor and his security team, and the theatre owner, general and security managers have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The theatre owner and staff were among six arrested after Mr Arjun; all six have since received bail.
Mr Arjun has been defended by his fellow actors, who say he cannot be held responsible for the actions of others. He too has dismissed allegations he was responsible for the tragic death.
Speaking at a press conference Saturday, he described the incident as “very unfortunate” and criticised what he called “misinformation” and “character assassination” against him.
READ | “Misinformation, Character Assassination”: Actor Allu Arjun On Stampede Row
Public sentiment, though, has been divided; on Sunday there was a protest outside his home.
A mob barged in and vandalised parts of the compound; they broke flower pots and threw tomatoes at the building. The protesters, reportedly university students, also shouted slogans till they were ejected.
The woman’s husband spoke to NDTV Monday and said he does not blame the actor for the stampede, and is ready to withdraw the police case against him. He claimed to have received the “full support” of Mr Arjun. The actor announced Rs 25 lakh for the family, while the producers of his film, ‘Pushpa 2: The Rise’, have announced Rs 50 lakh more.
The driver of the tanker carrying Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), which sparked off the inferno on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway, was among the few people to escape the massive fire tragedy, unscathed. Police have identified the driver as Jaiveer, a resident of Mathura. They have contacted him and called him to Jaipur for questioning. According to police officer Manish Kumar, Jaiveer jumped off the truck after the impact and started running towards Jaipur. He was out of the danger zone before the gas from the tanker leaked, leading to a massive blast that left 14 people dead and 23 others injured.
The tanker driver, the police officer said, called the tanker’s owner after the accident and informed him about the crash. Police hope to find more details once they question the driver.
How The Accident Took Place
Around 5.30 am, the LPG tanker made a U-turn on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway. According to officials, this U-turn was open as a temporary arrangement to ease traffic amid construction activity near the highway.
While the tanker was taking the U-turn, a truck carrying bedsheets and coming from the opposite direction collided with the tanker. The nozzles and safety valves on the tanker broke due to the impact and gas started leaking. Soon after, a massive blast took place. Passengers of vehicles caught in the blaze did not get time to escape. Fourteen people have died and 23 others are recovering in hospital. Many of the bodies are charred and cannot be identified.
Who Is To Blame
According to road safety experts who spoke to news agency PTI, incomplete construction, sudden turns and a lack of traffic sense might have led to the accident. “The stretch of the Jaipur-Ajmer highway where the crash occurred is an accident-prone spot, with poor traffic management and ongoing construction creating hazardous conditions,” said George Cheriyan, a prominent voice of Road Safety Network in India.
Road safety expert Dr Prerna Arora Singh said, “There is no high mast lighting system at the intersection. Visibility becomes very low during winter. There is no radium, reflector or signal marker at the cut.”
She also said the width of the cut at the intersection was too narrow. “If a big truck such as a container or gas tanker passes through, it blocks the road on both sides. This could be the reason for the accident,” PTI quoted her as saying.
The Nozzle Question and Driver’s Role
According to a report in The Times of India, there have been previous incidents of tankers carrying LPG and CNG overturning on roads but safety valves and nozzles do not come undone easily. The investigators have now asked for the tanker’s fitness certificates and details of the LPG content at the time of the accident.
“Modern tankers are designed to withstand shocks encountered during transport, but for valves to break off is a cause of concern,” an official has said.
Also, drivers of vehicles carrying petroleum products are trained in using fire extinguishers and know the SOP in case of an emergency.
“The driver fled without alerting anyone because he knew there could be an explosion any moment. It would be too early to pin the blame single-handedly on the driver without proper investigation,” an official said, according to the TOI report.