Leading Malayalam actress abducted and molested by former employee

KOCHI: The traumatic experience of a prominent south Indian film actor allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted kept the district police on their toes on Friday night.

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The entire episode unfolded like a crime thriller, as a seven-member gang led by Sunil Kumar aka Pulsar Suni intercepted the car in which the actor was travelling on the National Highway 544 near Parambayam, Nedumbassery around 10 pm. The actor was on her way to Kochi after a shoot in Thrissur.

The accused followed the actor in a Tempo Traveller, hit the vehicle against her car and picked up an altercation with the driver. In the melee, two of the gang members forcefully entered the car. While one of them forced the driver to drive the vehicle as per his direction, Sunil Kumar reportedly molested the actor and shot objectionable pictures and videos. They got down at Palarivattom and escaped in the van. Later, the actor reached the house of a film director at Kakkanad who. in turn, informed the police.

The arrest of the accused on Saturday unravelled the conspiracy behind the entire episode. According to the police, Martin - a native of Koratty in Thrissur who had been working with the actor for the last couple of years - had allegedly plotted the kidnap drama.

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The police have confirmed Pulsar Suni, a history-sheeter from Perumbavoor is the main accused in the incident. Besides Pulsar Suni, the police are on the lookout for four others. Suni had earlier worked with Lal Media, a firm run by actor-producer Lal, and was instrumental in getting a driver’s job for Martin.

“We have identified the accused and all of them would be arrested soon”, said Nedumbassery SI Hari, who is heading the probe.

The Nedumbassery police registered an FIR against the accused for abduction, rape, criminal conspiracy and criminal intimidation, apart from section 66 E of IT Act for taking the picture of the actor using mobile phones.