Two more held over actress’ kidnapping
KOCHI — Two more persons who were involved in the kidnapping of a popular Malayalam film actress have been arrested, Kerala Police said on Sunday.
The two were arrested in Coimbatore on Saturday night.
The popular actress was abducted for a while on her way from Thrissur to Kochi on Friday night by some people, who reportedly took pictures of her to blackmail her.
Her former driver is a suspect in the case and has been taken into custody, soon after the actress told about her harrowing experience to actor-cum-director Lal, who informed the police after hearing her tale of the abduction.
While the victim’s statement has now been recorded before a magistrate, the police probe team has zeroed down on six others who were in the gang, of which three have been already identified, while three others are yet to be identified.
Police chief Loknath Behra on Saturday claimed that they have identified those behind the “kidnap” of the actress and it is a matter
The need of the hour is not to end such attacks by writing and expressing our concern... instead a struggle should be launched to end this once and for all and I will be in the forefront of it Manju Warrier, mega actress
It’s something that sickens and frightens my core. I take great pride in our state and how safe our society is... and yesterday that shattered Dulquer Salmaan, Mammootty’s son
of time before the entire gang is arrested.
Veteran producer Suresh Kumar whose wife, Maneka, a yesteryear actress, said that his wife too had a similar experience a few years ago at Kochi, when the prime suspect in the present case — Sunil, a driver in the film industry, chased her vehicle for some time.
“I did raise a complaint, but nothing happened,” said Kumar to the media.
The Malayalam film fraternity extended moral support to the actress.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, actor-singer Prithviraj wrote: “Woke up to the horrifying news that has by now been reported, misreported and sensationalised.”
“I was supposed to start work with her in a week, and she told me that she’d not like to come back in front of the camera so soon... and so is pulling out of the film.
“I know this girl. I know how brave she is. If it’s affected her enough to make her stay away from what she loves the most, I can only imagine how harrowing it must have been,” he added.
Prithviraj said that “effective investigation” into the incident is the need of the hour.
Actor Dulquer Salmaan, son of superstar Mammootty wrote on Facebook: “I was hesitant to speak out about this incident yesterday out of respect for the victim of this travesty... It’s something that sickens and frightens my core. I take great pride in our state and how safe our society is... And yesterday that shattered.”
Wishing that the Kerala Police catches “these spineless cowards”, Salmaan requested all “our boys and men, young and old to be alert and vigilant” as “it’s equally our responsibility to care about, respect and protect our women”.
Actor-turned-CPM legislator Mukesh said the driver, who is the prime accused in the case, was his driver for a while. But he never knew that he had such a criminal mind.
Acclaimed film director Priyadarshan said the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), led by Lok Sabha member Innocent, and senior actors Mammootty, Mohanlal and Siddique, among others, should take up the issue with the state government and ensure that “what happened to our sister, should never ever happen to anyone else again in our state”. —