Film actor Kalabhavan Mani and his friends reportedly assaulted two forest officers on duty when they tried to stop him as part of a routine vehicle check-up at Kannankuzhi, near Athirappilly waterfalls here in the wee hours of Wednesday.
Deputy forest range officer U G Rameshan, 51, of Chalakkudy and beat forest officer P Ravindran, 48, of Kayamkulam, have been admitted to Chalakkudy Taluk Hospital.
According to police, the incident occurred around 1 am when the forest officials intercepted Mani’s vehicle near the waterfalls as part of a check-up. Mani objected when they proceeded to open the boot of the car. The actor reportedly insisted that he along with his friends be allowed to pass without the check-up, which led to a scuffle between him and the officials.
In the melee Mani drove away from the spot. Half an hour later he returned with some of his friends, including one Dr Gopinath, and hurled abusive words at the officials before allegedly assaulting them, the police said.
It is suspected that the actor and the doctor assaulted them under the influence of alcohol, said Forest Range officer Stephen Stanly Charpa.
The vehicle check-up here has been intensified following reports of Maoist presence in the Western Ghats, he said.
The knee of one officer was fractured in the attack.
Mani, who too was admitted to a private hospital in Chalakkudy, said he acted in self-defence when the officers had assaulted and abused him.
Following complaint from the Forest Department officials, the Athirappilly police have registered a case against the actor and his friend Dr Gopinath.
Meanwhile, the doctor’s wife Jaya Gopinath, who was present in the car at the time of the incident, registered a case against the officials for abusing and intimidating her.
The police lodged an FIR against Mani and the doctor under Sections 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 294 (B) (uttering obscene words in public place), and Sections 34 and 506 1 of the Indian Penal Code.
The Kerala Forest Protective Staff Association office-bearers have also demanded appropriate action against the offenders.
The incident happened on a day when ‘Kerala Thunderbolts’, an elite group of commandos, were carrying out search operation for Maoists in Athirappilly forests.