Malayalam film director Ranjith Balakrishnan booked for sexually assaulting man in Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Oct 28: A case has been registered against Malayalam film director Ranjith Balakrishnan on a complaint by a 31-year-old man, who alleged that he was sexually assaulted by him at a five-star hotel here, police said on Monday.
In the FIR, the complainant has claimed that he met the director in 2012 in Kozhikode when he had gone to meet actor Mammootty during the shoot of 'Bavuttiyude Namathil', a film written and produced by Balakrishnan.
According to FIR, the complainant alleged that the director thereafter managed to get his phone number and invited him to the hotel near Kempegowda International Airport in December 2012 where he allegedly offered him alcohol and sexually assaulted him.
"The complaint was initially filed at a police station in Kerala but the case was transferred to Bengaluru because the alleged incident of sexual assault occurred at a five-star hotel here and an FIR has now been registered," a senior police official said.
"The incident allegedly took place in 2012 but the complainant came out now in the wake of a series of sexual harrassment allegations by many artists in the Malayalam film industry which he claimed gave him the courage to register his complaint," the official said.
"Based on the complaint received, a case was registered on October 26 at BIAL (Bangalore International Airport Limited) police station under section 377 (unnatural offences) and 66 E (violation of privacy) of Information Technology Act against the director and the matter is being investigated," he said.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
