Malayalam Actress Assault: Kairali TV Slammed For Insensitivity

CPI affiliated Malayalam news channel Kairali TV faced backlash on Sunday after airing details of the alleged kidnapping and molestation of a leading actress. Kairali TV was also seriously criticized for suggesting the actress was in a relationship with the driver. While media outlets initially revealed the identity of the actress, it was later retracted to protect the victim’s identity as charges of molestation were added to what was actually a kidnapping case.

Kerala police arrested two people accused in this case on Sunday. The main accused Sunil Kumar, who was former driver of actress was taken into custody on Saturday.

Malayalam actress Rima Kallingal lashed out at Kairali TV managing director John Brittas, on facebook saying “When a human being is going towards the biggest horror of her life you had time and nerve to find sensational stories for your air time?”

Actor Prithvi Raj too blamed the media for misreporting and sensationalizing the news. “As disturbing as it was, I refrained from saying something on what happened to one of the most beautiful girls I know because I knew whatever or anyone among our fraternity say, I will only be fodder to click baits and TRP mongering.”

Meanwhile, the Kairali TV apologized for the coverage of the issue.

The incident took place on Friday night. As the victim was driving from Thrissur to Kochi, her car was intercepted by four persons, who allegedly drove away with the actress. For 2 hours they continuously molested and photographed her in the moving car. She was later dropped near a director’s house and she filed a complaint at the Nedumbassery police station with the help of the director.

An FIR was lodged by the police under various sections of the IPC including 376 (rape), 366 (kidnapping a woman), 506(criminal intimidation) and other relevant sections of IP act.