Kochi: A popular Malayalam movie actress was waylaid and attacked late on Friday night while she was returning by car to Kochi from a shooting location.
The incident happened at Athani near Kochi when she was on her way home from Thrissur. Her car was stopped by a gang, who then forced their way into the car in an apparent attempt to kidnap the actress.
Reports indicated that there were three people in the gang and that they had been following the actress’ car for a long time. When they were nearing Athani, the two cars had a minor collision, following which the gang barged into the actress’ car.
Local media quoted the actress as saying that the gang members tried to harm her and also took photographs of her. She said she managed to get into another car and reach a movie director’s house nearby and inform the police.
Police have taken into custody the actress’ driver Martin on the suspicion that he had a role in the episode. Before and during the drive to Kochi with the actress, he is believed to have made several calls and exchanged text messages with another driver, ‘Pulsar’ Sunil. Police are on the lookout for Sunil.
Sunil had been the actress’ driver earlier, and it was on Sunil’s suggestion that Martin took over the driver’s job with her. Police suspect the two men may have conspired to stage Friday’s incident.
Senior police officials visited the actress and took her statement on Friday night itself, and investigations are on.
The actress' name was initially carried in some media, but later withdrawn on the basis of a protocol not to disclose the victim's name in such incidents.
