NEW DELHI: Opposition parties including the BJP and BRS targetted the ruling Congress over alleged lapses in law and order following vandalism by a group claiming affiliation with the Osmania University Joint Action Committee (OU-JAC) outside Allu Arjun‘s home.
Protesters reportedly scaled the compound wall and raised slogans against Allu Arjun, demanding financial compensation of Rs 1 crore for the family of a woman who died during a stampede at a screening of his film ‘Pushpa 2‘. They left behind a placard accusing the film industry of profiting while endangering fans.
Six individuals involved in the attack, which saw flower pots damaged and tomatoes thrown at the actor’s home, were later arrested and granted bail by a local court.
Security was heightened at the residence of Telugu superstar after the incident on Monday. Hyderabad police confirmed that the actor was not home during the vandalism and that security at his residence has been reinforced.
The BJP and the BRS questioned the Congress government’s governance in the wake of the incident. BJP MP D K Aruna alleged that four of the perpetrators were from Kodangal, the constituency of chief minister A Revanth Reddy, hinting at a possible political conspiracy.
BRS MLA T Harish Rao joined the criticism, pointing to an alarming rise in crime in Hyderabad, with over 35,944 cases reported in 2024. He described the attack on Allu Arjun’s residence as a “complete failure of governance.”
TPCC chief Bomma Mahesh Kumar Goud on Monday accused the BRS and BJP of leveraging the Allu Arjun episode for political mileage amid the ongoing controversy over the Sandhya Theatre incident in Telangana.
“The BRS and BJP want to take undue advantage of the Allu Arjun episode. This issue is entirely unrelated to the film industry. We have always supported the film industry, and the Congress party has extended numerous facilities to the Telugu film fraternity. However, they are attempting to derive political mileage from this incident. We have no connection with the vandalism at Allu Arjun’s residence,” the TPCC chief told ANI.
Chief minister Revanth Reddy, while condemning the incident, directed the state’s Director General of Police and Hyderabad’s police commissioner to ensure strict measures to maintain law and order. “Attacks on film personalities or anyone are unacceptable,” he stated.
The vandalism comes amid ongoing controversy surrounding the December 4 stampede at Sandhya Theatre during the premiere of Pushpa 2. The tragedy claimed the life of Revathi, a woman in the audience, and left her son, Sri Tej, injured. Critics have blamed the event’s organizers, including Allu Arjun, for inadequate safety measures.
The actor dismissed the accusations as a “campaign of character assassination” and expressed concern for the injured. He revealed that legal proceedings had prevented him from visiting Sri Tej but assured support for the boy’s medical expenses. Allu Arjun was arrested following the incident but secured bail from the Telangana High Court on December 16.
