A late-night show of 'Pushpa 2' saw some real action as police stormed the cinema hall to arrest a man wanted in murder and drug cases in Maharashtra's Nagpur.
Vishal Meshram was on the run for 10 months and was eventually tracked down after police learnt about his interest in the recently-released film, PTI reported. The gangster has 27 cases against him, including two of murder and drug trafficking, and was known for his violent tendencies. He has even attacked the police in the past. Police were tracking his SUV and on finding it outside the theatre, they deflated the vehicle's tyres to prevent his escape.
The gangster was engrossed in the film when police personnel entered the hall during the movie's climax. The police surrounded him and made the arrest swiftly, giving him no chance to resist, the official said.
Meshram is currently lodged in the Nagpur Central Jail and will soon be transferred to a prison in Nashik, the police said.
Controversy Around 'Pushpa 2: The Rule'
'Pushpa 2: The Rule', the blockbuster movie starring Allu Arjun, is a sequel to 2021’s Telugu film “Pushpa: The Rise”. It was released on December 5 with dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali and Malayalam.
The movie has been embroiled in controversy ever since its release. A 35-year-old M Revathi died and her 9-year-old son is in critical condition due to a stampede incident that took place during the movie premiere at Sandhya Theatre on December 4.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday criticised Allu Arjun for attending the screening despite police denying permission for his visit. The CM stated that the permit was denied citing crowd management concerns.
The CM slammed movie industry personalities for meeting the actor at his house after the arrest and alleged lack of sympathy to the child receiving treatment at the hospital.
Videos circulating online showed the actor waving to fans from the sunroof of his car which reportedly exacerbated the crowd surge.