Allu Arjun’s arrest in a case of State overreach

Actor Allu Arjun’s arrest and detention overnight by the Telangana police despite a high court bail order is an egregious instance of State overreach. A woman died in a stampede at a cinema hall screening Arjun’s latest release that has seen overwhelming fan response; the actor was making an appearance at the hall, and a large crowd gathered, resulting in the tragedy. Fan frenzy is an expected phenomenon when actors meet the public — and a given for actors with the kind of cresting popularity that comes with a widely publicized release. That this was not anticipated or not adequately provided for in the current instance indicates avoidable failures. There can be little doubt that these need to be identified — and culpability fixed.

However, trading nabbing those genuinely responsible for action that merely has optical value is troublingly trifling and demonstrates the dangers of untrammeled State powers. If the theater did request adequate police arrangements as some sections of the media have reported, then a large part of the blame lies with the state administration itself for failing to estimate the kind of deployment required. Muscular posturing after the stampede — visuals of the actor being arrested from his Hyderabad home were likely meant to soothe public anger — is no remedy for this.

The added angle of the actor having campaigned for the political rival of the ruling dispensation in the state does the government no favours. No matter how sincere or untainted its intentions might have been when it comes to the arrest and later delaying release even after the bail order was delivered to the jail authorities, the administration will find it hard to shake off allegations of political vendetta. Indeed, the Telangana high court questioned the charges against the actor and the manner of his arrest while granting him bail, underlining the state administration’s gauche handling of the matter.