Malayalam actor assault: All accused will be smoked out of hideouts, says Kerala minister

State culture minister AK Balan on Tuesday said, “The probe will not be confined to goons alone…Several criminal elements have crept into the film industry and will be thrown out with the help of organisations working in the area.”

Amid mounting shock and anger over the abduction and assault of popular south Indian actor, the Kerala government has made it clear “all accused in the crime will be smoked out of their hideouts,” even as the police have intensified search to nab the main accused in the case.

The 30-year-old actor was allegedly taken hostage on the way from Thrissur to Kochi on Friday night and assaulted by a seven-member gang for more than two hours in the moving car. (ANI)

State culture minister AK Balan on Tuesday said, “The probe will not be confined to goons alone…Several criminal elements have crept into the film industry and will be thrown out with the help of organisations working in the area.”

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The 30-year-old actor was allegedly taken hostage on the way from Thrissur to Kochi on Friday night and assaulted by a seven-member gang for more than two hours in the moving car. So far police have arrested six people in the case, but the main accused in the case, Sunil alias Pulsar Suni, and his accomplice Vijesh are still at large.

It is suspected that the actor was targeted by the “quotation mafia” — a gang contracted for criminal assignments. It remains unclear as to who hired the gang, but allegations are flying that the motive was to harm the actor’s career. The actor has worked in more than 75 films in several languages including Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu. She made her acting debut when she was 16 years old.

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