Kochi: The city police here have launched a massive manhunt to arrest the two youths who molested a young Malayalam film actress in a shopping mall the other day.
As part of the probe, the police collected footage from more CCTV cameras installed in the mall. The name, address and other details furnished at the entrance have also been examined.
The police intensified its probe soon after the State Women’s Commission and State Youth Commission called for reports on the incident. The Lulu Mall authorities have handed over to police the entire footage from CCTV cameras recorded at the time of the incident.
The visuals of the suspects have also been retrieved from this footage. The vehicle used by the accused to go out of the Mall has also been identified.
As the accused were wearing masks, police did face some difficulty in identifying them clearly. The police will examine the footage from more CCTV cameras installed in the area to get further clarity.
Even though the young actor did not complain to the police about the incident, her post on social media in which she shared her terrible experience in the shopping mall went viral and evoked widespread reactions.
In her post the actor had disclosed that two men groped and stalked her when she along with other family members visited Lulu Mall at Edapally on Thursday. Soon after the post became viral, Ernakulam City Police Commissioner Vijay Sakhre directed Kalamassery police to probe the matter.
After recording the actor's statement in her residence, the police also got a written complaint from her mother.
What had happened
When the actor was in the hypermarket two young men followed her. They reportedly graced their hand on her back. This happened in a corridor which was not at all crowded. She didn’t react initially thinking it was not deliberate. However, when her sister came and asked her if everything was okay did she realise that they had done it deliberately. Again when the actor and her sister were at the payment counter, the duo approached them again and wanted to know how many films she had acted in.
The two men left the place when the actor's mother came near her.
Meanwhile, Lulu Mall authorities said that a robust safety and security system was in place at the complex and that helped to retrieve the footage of the accused immediately. They extended full cooperation for the probe.
The State Women’s Commission and State Youth Commission also took suo motu cases in connection with the incident. Women’s Commission chairperson M C Josephine she would collect more evidence on Saturday, while Youth Commission chairperson Chintha Jerome said she had sought a detailed report from the police.
