2 arrested after destruction of church set of Tovino Thomas' 'Minnal Murali' sparks row

The destruction of a set depicting a church for Malayalam film Minnal Murali allegedly by right-wing activists sparked a controversy. As lead actor Tovino Thomas, other members of the film industry and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the incident, the state police has swung into action. Two persons have now been arrested in connection with the vandalism.

READ: AHP & Bajrang Dal Allegedly Trash 'Minnal Murali' Film Church Set; Kerala CM To Act

As per reports, Rashtriya Bajrang Dal Ernakulam district president Ratheesh Malayattoor and another person named  Rahul have been nabbed. The police have registered a case against seven members of the Rashtriya Bajrang Dal and others. The case has been registered under sections 379 (theft), 454 (trespassing) and 427 (damaging the property) of the Indian Penal Code.

A vehicle allegedly used during the vandalism has also been impounded by the cops.  

The incident

Tovino Thomas had shared pictures of the set at Kalady, and how the shoot was on hold due to the lockdown, before ‘racialists’ vandalised it. The actor said the incident had created ‘distress, and even more of anxiety’ and that they were planning to take legal action. 

READ:Tovino Thomas' 'Minnal Murali' Church Set Destroyed, Makers Proceed To Take Legal Action

State general secretary of AHP claimed responsibility of the attack on Facebook and claimed that the set was destroyed as it was situated Adi Sankaracharya mutt. Members of AHP and Bajrang Dal allegedly boasted about the incident on social media.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said, ''Kerala will never be a place where fanatics of any kind would be allowed to go scot-free. All of you can be rest assured that all those who destroyed the film set near Kochi will be tackled as per law. What is wrong if a film set remains there, as we all know that due to COVID-19, all film shootings came to a sudden halt. These acts will not be tolerated."

Aluva Shivaratri Manappuram Samithi, who owned the land on which the set was situated, too filed a complaint with the Perumbavoor police. 

Actors like Dulquer Salmaan and Nivin Pauly condemned the incident on social media.

READ:Tovino Thomas Shares An Angry Post On The Destruction Of 'Minal Murali' Sets

READ:Aashiq Abu Reprimands 'fanatics' For Destroying 'Minnal Murali' Sets