‘3 cases similar to the harassment of Kerala actress happened recently’

Kochi: Three incidents "similar" to the harassment of a popular Malayalam actress allegedly by a gang of men had taken place in the state recently, an actor claimed to have been informed by the Kerala police chief.

But these earlier incidents went unreported, said actor- director Lal to whose house the noted South Indian actress fled after being harassed for two hours allegedly by a gang of five men, who forced their way into her car before fleeing in a busy area here on Friday night.

Addressing a galaxy of film stars assembled here tonight to attend a protest meet organised against the incident, Lal said he had telephoned Kerala DGP Loknath Behera to inform him about the incident soon after the actress reached his home crying and narrated her ordeal.

"During our conversation, the DGP told me that three similar incidents had happened in connection with Malayalam film industry recently. But no one has come to know about it...maybe, because it was suppressed using money or left unreported fearing humiliation.

"He (Behera) told me this incident should not meet a similar fate and asked me to provide her (harassed actress) all support," Lal said at the function attended by several leading Malayalam actors including Mammooty, Dileep and Manju Warrier.

Lal, who turned emotional during his speech, said the actress, members of her family besides her fiance were prepared to suffer any kind of hardship to get the guilty punished.

"But pained by certain remarks about the incident by some TV channels, she even thought of withdrawing the complaint," he said.

Lal thanked Behera for acting promptly by sending top police officials to his house soon after he apprised him of the incident with the permission of the actress.

The Malayalam film fraternity, assembled under the banner of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), took an oath of unity, expressing solidarity with the actress.

PTI