Amaravati, December 30 (NationPress) The law is equal for all, declared Andhra Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Monday, marking his first comments regarding the tragic stampede at Hyderabad's Sandhya Theatre that led to a woman's death during the premiere of 'Pushpa 2: The Rule', along with the arrest of actor Allu Arjun.

The actor-turned-politician expressed that the police cannot be held accountable as they operate with public safety and security as their primary concern.

In a casual conversation with reporters, the Jana Sena leader remarked that the theatre's staff should have notified Allu Arjun ahead of time about the unfolding situation.

Pawan Kalyan also suggested that had someone from Allu Arjun's team reached out to the victim's family promptly, it might have alleviated tension and aided in resolving the matter.

This was Pawan Kalyan's initial response to the incident on December 4, which resulted in a woman's death and left her son severely injured.

The authorities had filed charges against the theatre management, Allu Arjun, and his crew for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

On December 13, the actor was taken into custody and placed in judicial custody for 14 days by a court, although the Telangana High Court granted him interim bail on the same day.

Allu Arjun is the son of producer Allu Arvind and the brother-in-law of Pawan Kalyan's elder sibling, megastar Chiranjeevi.

Pawan Kalyan reminisced that previously, even Chiranjeevi attended film screenings alongside his fans, often donning a mask to avoid causing a commotion.

In his defense of Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy regarding the situation, Pawan Kalyan described him as a leader who emerged from modest beginnings.

Regarding CM Revanth Reddy, Pawan stated, “Revanth Reddy is an admirable leader. He has risen from humble origins. Unlike the YSRCP, he has permitted benefit shows and allowed ticket price hikes. Movie collections increased with his support,” he noted.

The Deputy Chief Minister acknowledged that films like 'Salar' and 'Pushpa 2' have garnered significant box office success. “CM Revanth has provided full support for 'Pushpa 2'. Allowing ticket price increases also contributes to promoting the film industry. I am not completely informed about the circumstances surrounding the incident, either in front of or behind the scenes,” he added.

Pawan Kalyan also declined to criticize the police, stating, “Law applies equally to everyone. The police cannot be blamed for such occurrences as they act with security in mind. The theatre staff should have informed Allu Arjun beforehand about the scenario. When he took his seat, they should have alerted him and escorted him out,” he stated.

Pawan Kalyan expressed that it would have been more appropriate if someone from Allu Arjun's side had contacted the victim's family, saying, “They should have immediately assured the family of their support. They should have expressed remorse for the unintentional incident. A humane approach was notably absent in this situation,” he remarked.

He noted that public outrage ensued due to the lack of consolation offered to the victim's family. He also added that Allu Arjun felt the weight of a life lost due to his presence.

“Cinema is a collaborative effort. It is unfair to place the blame solely on Allu Arjun. Revanth Reddy acted as the Chief Minister in response to the incident. Decisions are occasionally made based on the circumstances,” he concluded.