The ruling CPM in Kerala has termed the kidnapping and sexual assault of a female actor as an ‘isolated incident’.
“It is an isolated incident and because of this you cannot claim that the law and order situation in the state has worsened,” CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters here on Sunday.
He added that the law and order situation in Kerala was better than what it was under the UDF regime.
Meanwhile, police on Sunday arrested two more suspects for allegedly raping the well-known actor on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.
The special investigation team probing the crime is now exploring the possibility of a wider conspiracy.
Lauding police for arresting the driver who was in constant touch with the gang who tried to abduct the actor, the CPM leader said, “This shows that the police acted swiftly and nabbed the culprits. The investigation is going in the right direction.”
Also the film fraternity in Kerala yesterday came out in support of the actress. Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) in a Facebook post described the incident as an ‘heinous crime’.
“We have only one thing to say to those who committed this cruel act to our daughter.. sister ---defeat is yours'. She will stand undefeated... Always,” Innocent, president, AMMA president said.
Innocent, also a Lok Sabha MP, said that he had contacted Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and DGP Loknath Behera the moment he came to know about the incident on Saturday.
Actor Prithviraj said, "All that can be said about the security of women in our matriarchal/matrilineal' God's own country has already been said. And yes... as a man who has to share the responsibility of a society that bears this shame I hang my head!. But please... the most we can collectively do at this moment is to respect the guts of this girl."
Prithviraj said that he was supposed to start work with the victim in a week.
"She told me that she'd like not to come back in front of the camera so soon... If it has affected her enough to make her stay away from what she loves the most... I can only imagine how harrowing it must have been," the actor said.
Star Manju Warrier said that she had met the actress, who was in a state of shock after the horrifying incident.
“But she was bold and we were the ones who were shattered. Those responsible for the attack had perverted mindset and culture,” Manju said.
Director Major Ravi wanted the state government to take strong action against those responsible for the incident.
"If a celebrity can go through this kind of torture from the rowdy gang, it can happen to any of our sisters. Shame on you all the system who can't take action on these culprits." Ravi also wanted the film fraternity to come together "on the road till the government wakes up,” Ravi said.
