Search operations continued for the third day on Monday to apprehend those involved in the abduction and harassment of a noted south Indian actress, an incident which has sparked nation-wide outrage. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke to her and assured of stern action against the perpetrators. In a related development, three persons, including the suspected mastermind, moved the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail.

Vijayan called up the actress and promised her all support amid widespread condemnation of the incident and growing calls for immediate action against the culprits, including from the apex south Indian actors’ body. He promised stern action against those responsible for the February 17 incident in which the actress was allegedly harassed inside her car for two hours by her tormentors, who had forced their way into the vehicle, before vanishing in a busy area in Kochi. Ruling CPI(M) state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan also spoke to the actress over phone, an official release said in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Chennai-based South Artistes Association (SIAA) expressed shock and urged Vijayan to ensure the culprits were brought to book without any further loss of time. Police said some people have been taken into custody for allegedly helping the suspected mastermind Pulser Suni.

Police, however, remained tight lipped about reports that two associates of Suni, members of the gang which assaulted the actress, have been picked up from Coimbatore. With police launching a hunt for them, Sunil, commonly known as Pulser Suni, and his two alleged associates Manikandan and V P Vigeesh moved the court, claiming as “wrong” the allegations that they had attempted to kidnap and rape the filmstar. They claimed they have been “falsely implicated” on the basis of confessional statement of Martin, the driver of the actress’ car, who has already been arrested for alleged criminal conspiracy. The anticipatory bail pleas are likely to come up for hearing tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a group of women activists took out a procession in front of the state Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram to protest incident.

In a letter to Vijayan, the SIAA said the incident showed “there is no safety even for a popular woman celebrity” in the country. “It is hereby requested that you intervene in the issue without any further delay and speed up the investigation to book the culprits and put them behind bars,” it said.

SIAA general gecretary and popular actor Vishal Krishna lauded the actress for her “courage” to speak out. “Most people would have been embarrassed to speak out if they had undergone such trauma. I laud her courage. Such an incident should not have happened,” he told reporters.

He said if a well-known actress could undergo such an experience, “think of the situation of the common people.” “We are in complete solidarity with the actress,” he said.

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