Senior Malayalam actor and producer Maniyanpilla Raju was arrested by the Thiruvananthapuram police on Friday morning, February 6, following a hit-and-run incident that left two young men seriously injured. The accident occurred late on Thursday night near the Trivandrum Club in Vazhuthacaud, Thiruvananthapuram, prompting an investigation into charges of reckless driving and failure to assist at the scene.
The incident took place around 9:30 pm on 5 February when a car registered to the actor, whose real name is Sudheer Kumar Raju, reportedly struck a motorcycle carrying two individuals. The victims, identified as 20-year-olds Nivedith Krishna and Suraj, sustained significant injuries; one suffered leg fractures while the other sustained spinal injuries. Both remain under medical care at a private hospital.
Maniyanpilla Raju appeared before the Museum police station on Friday morning, where his arrest was formally recorded. He has been charged under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Motor Vehicles Act for rash driving and fleeing the scene of an accident.
Addressing the media upon his arrival at the police station, the veteran actor admitted to being behind the wheel but claimed the motorcycle had hit his vehicle. He attributed his failure to stop to a sudden state of panic and ongoing health concerns.
"I panicked after the accident and returned home," Raju said, noting that he is a cancer survivor and is currently recovering from a bout of chikungunya. He further maintained that he has abstained from alcohol for the past two years and denied being under the influence at the time of the crash.