Kochi: A popular Malayalam film actress was abducted on her way from Thrissur to Kochi on Friday night and raped. Police have arrested one suspect and are looking for four others against whom an FIR has been registered.
The suspect in police custody, identified as Martin, is the actress’ driver. He was engaged just three days before the incident, through a contractor who supplies vehicles and drivers to film people.
Earlier during the day on Saturday, there were reports that the actress had been molested. But the victim’s complaint, and subsequent statement to the magistrate, mentioned rape.
According to the police, the incident occurred late on Friday. “A total of seven accused, including Sunil Kumar, have been found involved in the act during our probe. We’ve taken four into custody for interrogation. Martin was arrested as he was found to have made over 40 phone calls and sent several text messages to Kumar while picking up the actress,” police said.
The actress was heading to the city from her house in Thrissur for film work when the gang intercepted her car at around 8.30 pm.
“The actress was travelling in an Audi car. The gang followed her in a tempo traveller and hit her vehicle from behind in what at first seemed like a mishap. Her driver Martin stopped the car and then two men from the tempo entered it and threatened him driver to drive. One more person was picked up on the way and driver Martin was asked to board the tempo behind,” a senior police official said.
For the next three hours, as the car was driven around Kochi city, she was manhandled and molested. According to the police, the gang recorded videos and took pictures of the actress and threatened to release them on social media.
“Finally the attackers left her in the car near Padamughal and escaped in the tempo that was trailing the car. Martin then returned to the car and drove the actress to the house of a film director who informed the police about the incident,” the officer said.
Director general of police Loknath Behera has constituted a six-member investigation team to probe the incident.
