HYDERABAD, India — A well-known actor from southern India was arrested on Friday (Dec 13), a week after a woman died and her son was seriously injured in a stampede triggered by his unexpected appearance at the premiere of his film, according to police.

Allu Arjun, a prominent figure in the Telugu film industry, which is popular in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, made an appearance at the premiere in Hyderabad on Dec 4. As fans rushed to meet him, a 39-year-old woman tragically died, and her nine-year-old son was critically hurt. Earlier this week, the theatre owner was arrested in connection with the incident, and on Friday, police arrested Arjun at his home.

Arjun was granted bail by a local court within hours of his arrest and was expected to be released shortly, his lawyer confirmed.

The 41-year-old actor was named in the initial police report, which claimed that his security team attempted to disperse the crowd near him, leading to the woman's death from suffocation, as stated in a document seen by Reuters. Arjun's lawyer has denied any wrongdoing, and the actor has publicly expressed his remorse over the incident.

In southern India, where the regional film industry flourishes independently of Bollywood, actors like Arjun are treated as larger-than-life figures, with fan clubs that often build temples to honor their idols and perform rituals like bathing their posters in milk during film premieres.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Instagram/Allu Arjun