Malayalam actor Jayakrishnan and his two associates have been booked for allegedly making abusive remarks against a taxi driver in Mangaluru town on October 9. Jayakrishnan, 52, and Santosh Abraham, 45, were arrested on Sunday. Another accused, Vimal, 46, is currently absconding. According to a police officer, the trio had booked a cab with pickup at New Road, Bejai. When driver Ahmad Shafiq called to confirm the location, he was allegedly subjected to communal slurs and called a “terrorist”. As per the complaint, the accused, who were reportedly intoxicated, used abusive words in Malayalam to target the driver’s family. The group also repeatedly changed pickup locations to harass Shafiq. The police have registered the case under sections 352 (intentional insult) and 353(2) (circulating false statements on basis of religion) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A police officer said the accused also confessed that they were under the influence of alcohol. The probe revealed that they tried to prank some other cab drivers by initially booking a ride and then cancelling it. Jayakrishnan acted in several movies, including Oru Cheru Punchiri, How Old Are You?, and Natturajavu, among others. He is also a popular figure in TV serials.
