Police step up efforts to nab Kerala actress attack culprits

Kerala police today intensified its efforts to arrest the culprits involved in the harassment of a noted South Indian actress amid mounting pressure from the film fraternity and political parties for stern action.
Police said a hunt was on to nab culprits including the mastermind, a history sheeter known as Pulser Suni, who had earlier worked as driver for some noted Malayalam film actors, including actor-turned politician Mukesh.
Martin, driver of the actress' car was taken into custody yesterday for allegedly conniving with the gang which executed the crime.
The actress was harassed for two hours allegedly by a gang of men, who forced their way into her car before fleeing at a busy area here on Feb 17 night.

The incident drew widespread condemnation.
Suni allegedly engaged members of a notorious 'quotation gang' for attacking the actress while she was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi for doing a dubbing work of a Malayalam film in which she plays a key role.

When asked about reports on arrest of two persons from 'quotation gang', a top police officer told PTI that "somepeople" have been taken into custody.
"We would beable to talk about their role in the incident only after aproper verification," he said.
Meanwhile, political parties and Malayalam film world have condemned the incident and mounted pressure on the government to arrest the culprits at the earliest.

While ruling CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and his CPI counterpart described it as an "isolated incident", Opposition Congress and BJP alleged that the LDF government has failed in ensuring safety of women.
Popular Malayalam film stars, including Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi and Prithviraj have condemned the incident.
Police teams have been sent to places includingCoimbatore in search of at least six more culprits involved in the crime.
State DGP Loknath Behera has constituted a special investigation team to probe the case.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had yesterdaysaid the gangmembers involved in the crime have been identified and they will be arrested very soon.

The actress in her complaint to police stated that on Fridaynight her car was hit from the rear by a van at Athani,between Aluva and Angamaly.
The members in the van forcefully entered her car andtook control of it before proceeding here.
Police suspect that six to seven men, including the actress' driver, wereinvolved in the crime that sentshock waves in the state.
The actress' driver is suspected to have followed her car in the vehicle used by the gang members.
During the drive, the men harassed her by clicking her pictures and making a video, she has said in hercomplaint.

After nearly two hours of drive through Kochi city,they left the actress in the car at Palarivattam area andfled.
She was later taken to the house of film director Lalin Thrikkakara by her driver and a woman judicial magistrate recorded her statementabout the incident.
Police had also taken her for a medical examination at a hospital near Kochi. They suspect that blackmailing was the motive behind thecrime.