The Indian Express ·
Marathi TV actress alleges highway assault, extortion bid; 2 held in Pune
Marathi television actress Kalyani Nandkishor said the incident occurred near Navale Bridge on the Pune-Bengaluru Highway on Friday night.
Days after Marathi television actress Kalyani Nandkishor alleged that she and her cousin brother were assaulted, abused and subjected to an extortion attempt near Navale Bridge on the Pune-Bengaluru Highway on Friday night, the Pune police arrested two men on Tuesday.
The actress, who played a key role in the famous Marathi serial Lagira Zala Ji, shared videos of the incident on social media, questioned women’s safety on the Pune-Bengaluru Highway, and alleged that similar incidents had occurred on the route at night.
Kalyani lodged a complaint with Narhe police on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. The police detained the suspects and conducted an identification parade on Tuesday, during which the actress identified the two men.
The men were subsequently booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges related to assault, harassment and attempted extortion. “They have been sent to three days’ police custody. We are investigating the matter,” Varsha Deshmukh, police inspector, Narhe police station, said on Wednesday.
Speaking to The Indian Express on Wednesday, Kalyani said she was returning to Satara from Mumbai on Friday night, with her cousin driving the vehicle. She said they had stopped near Navale Bridge to meet a colleague when another vehicle suddenly pulled up beside them.
“One of the occupants started abusing us and questioned why we had stopped on the roadside. My cousin tried to calm them down politely, and I told them nothing had happened to their vehicle, and they should move on,” she alleged.
Kalyani claimed the confrontation escalated when the men allegedly drove ahead of their vehicle, reversed into it, and demanded money. “They repeatedly rammed our vehicle and kept abusing us. My brother got down and said we would pay the damages as we did not want to engage in an argument. He told them to let us take the vehicle to the garage. This angered them, and they started hurling more abuses. As I got down from the vehicle, they twisted my arm and abused me,” she claimed.
Two traffic police personnel then arrived at the spot and tried to defuse the situation, she said. She alleged that the accused also behaved aggressively towards the officers. “They tried to convince us to pay some amount to the men and leave. The men, however, tried to abuse the traffic police personnel as well,” she alleged.
According to the actress, officers from Narhe police station later reached the scene, after which the accused allegedly attempted to flee.
Kalyani said there were five occupants in the vehicle. “However, only two tried to misbehave with us and assaulted my brother. The others tried to calm them down. So, I did not file any complaint against the other three,” she explained.
The actress also raised concerns over her medical examination, alleging that she was directed to multiple hospitals. The FIR was registered in the early hours of Saturday, she said.
Raising concerns over women’s safety, she asked: “My question to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is: Are women safe in Maharashtra? Can’t they return home safely from work at night? Can’t the police rein in such elements who seem to be freely roaming in the night hours on the Pune-Bengaluru highway?”