Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan today said that the law was equal for all, backing Telangana Police and the Congress government in the incident of a stampede at Sandhya Theatre which led to the arrest of lead actor Allu Arjun following the death of one person and critical injury to a nine-year-old child. While he praised the Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy as a great leader, he said he was shocked by the lack of empathy in handling the entire tragedy, adding that the hero should have visited the family earlier following the tragedy. Pawan Kalyan is related to Allu Arjun as his elder brother Chiranjeevi is married to the Pushpa actor’s aunt.

While speaking on the incident during an informal chitchat, the Deputy CM observed, “What could have been resolved with a stick has been done by wielding an axe.” He said he does not blame the police since they prioritize safety. However, the theatre staff should have informed Allu Arjun about the situation. “The law is equal for all, and I do not blame the police in such incidents, they act with public safety in mind,” he said while adding that the theatre staff should have asked the actor to leave even after he sat down.

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He further pointed out “It would have been better if someone from Allu Arjun’s side had visited the victim’s family early on. Revathi’s death in this incident shocked me deeply. They turned, what was already lost, into a greater tragedy. There should have been a sense of regret for the mistake, even if it happened without their direct involvement. There was a lack of humanity in how this incident was handled.” Kalyan, who is also a lead Telugu actor, said that public anger also stemmed from the absence of such a gesture.

He, however, exonerated the CM, saying he was forced to act the way he did, due to circumstances. “Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is a great leader who has risen from humble beginnings. He did not act like the YSRCP and instead focused on providing benefits in his state. He allowed flexibility in ticket pricing which boosted collections. Movies like Salaar and Pushpa 2 did well due to his cooperation.” But defending Allu Arjun ,the Deputy CM said, “Cinema is a collaborative effort. It’s not fair to make Allu Arjun the sole culprit. He was deeply pained by the accident.”

Pawan Kalyan pointed out that his elder brother Chiranjeevi, considered to be a megastar, often attended movie shows in the past but would even don a mask, harping on the importance of public safety. Videos showed Allu Arjun waving to fans even when police escorted him out of the theatre hall. An annoyed CM had slammed the film industry for standing by Allu Arjun, ignoring the plight of the victim’s family.