Don't tarnish image of victim: Women in Cinema Collective

Women in Cinema Collective, the newly launched outfit of women in Malayalam film world, today strongly condemned the alleged attempts to tarnish the image of a south Indian actress who was abducted and assaulted by a gang recently.
Any attempt to put the victim in bad light and point fingers of suspicion at her was not at all acceptable. It was a challenge to the judiciary and the law of land, the Collective said in a statement here.
The outfit's protest came a day after actor Salim Kumar, in a Facebook post, demanded that the assaulted actress be made to undergo a lie-detector test to ascertain the truth in the case.

He was supporting his co-actor Dileep, who has claimed he was blackmailed by a friend of prime accused in the case, Pulsar Suni, for not dragging his name in connection with the incident.
However, Kumar later retracted his statement and tendered an apology following criticism.
The Collective, which comprises woman actors, directors, script writers and singers of the industry, asked people especially those in the film world to refrain from making statements against the victim.

"The case regarding the assault suffered by one of our colleagues is in the primary stage of court procedures. At this juncture, any opinion that humiliates and points a finger of suspicion on her is highly condemnable," the Collective said.

Any such attempt to insult women is an 'unpardonable' act and violation of human rights guaranteed by the Constitution, the outfit added.
Actress Manju Warrier, director Anjali Menon and editor and vice-chairperson of the state film academy Bina Paul are some of the leading personalities associated with the outfit.
Six persons, including Suni, Martin and Vigeesh had been arrested in connection with the incident in which the actress was abducted and molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle and later escaped in a busy area in Kochi in February last.