Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 13 : Producer Ashok Pandit has voiced his support for 'Pushpa' star Allu Arjun, who was arrested by Hyderabad police on Friday morning in connection with a stampede at Sandhya Theatre on December 4.
The arrest of Allu Arjun has become the talk of the town. Several celebrities and fans have rallied behind the actor, with Ashok Pandit being the latest to join the fray.
The producer has appealed to the Andhra Pradesh government to withdraw the case, calling Allu Arjun an "icon" who deserves respect.
In a conversation with ANI, Ashok Pandit said, "The blame on Allu Arjun for the incident is wrong. The situation was not created by the actor. He is a film actor who visits theatres to promote films and observe audience reactions. Every actor and technician wishes to see the response to their work. Unfortunately, this incident occurred, but Allu Arjun cannot be held responsible."
On December 4, Allu Arjun and the 'Pushpa 2' team visited Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad for a screening. Large crowds had gathered to catch a glimpse of the star, resulting in a stampede-like situation. A 35-year-old woman died, and her son was hospitalised.
Ashok Pandit described the actor's arrest as an "overreaction" and again urged the Andhra Pradesh government to withdraw the case.
"The blame on the actor is misplaced and an overreaction, in my opinion. I appeal to the Andhra Pradesh government and police to reconsider. Notably, Revathi's husband, Bhaskar, has also appealed to withdraw the case, admitting that Allu Arjun cannot be held accountable for the incident," Pandit added.
The producer further emphasised the importance of respecting cultural icons. "Icons of our country should be respected. As a common man and someone from the industry, I believe that Allu Arjun, or any other actor, cannot be held responsible for such incidents," he said.
On Friday morning, Chikkadpally police arrested Allu Arjun from his residence and took him to the Chikkadpally Police Station for questioning. In addition, three other individuals connected to the incident have been apprehended. The police registered a case citing improper crowd management practices that led to the tragedy.
Later on Friday, the Telangana High Court granted interim bail to Allu Arjun, hours after he was remanded to 14-day judicial custody by a lower court in connection with the woman's death at Sandhya Theatre.
Advocate Karam Komireddy, representing Sandhya Theatre management, confirmed the interim bail. "Allu Arjun has been granted interim bail for a period of four weeks. He is required to execute a personal bond of Rs50,000 with the Superintendent of Chanchalguda Central Jail. Following this, he will be released on bail," Komireddy stated.
Meanwhile, Allu Arjun continues to bask in the success of his recent release, 'Pushpa 2: The Rule.'