Veteran Malayalam actor and producer Maniyanpilla Raju has been arrested following a hit-and-run accident in Thiruvananthapuram late Thursday night (February 5, 2026), reported IANS. Thiruvananthapuram Police took to X (formerly Twitter) to post the statement. “He has been taken for a medical examination, and if alcohol is detected in his blood test, additional charges will be added,” it said.
The incident, which occurred near the Trivandrum Club at Vazhuthacaud, left two young men seriously injured. According to The Times of India, the Museum Police registered a case after the actor’s car allegedly collided with a Royal Enfield motorcycle and fled the scene without offering assistance.
The victims have been identified as 20-year-olds Sooraj and Nivedith Krishna. Both of the men were rushed to a private hospital immediately and they are currently undergoing treatment for severe injuries.
According to a report by Onmanorama, Sooraj sustained fractures to his left leg and shoulder, while Nivedith suffered head injuries and leg fractures. Investigators were able to trace the vehicle – a car with registration number KL-01-CJ-0004 – after a detached number plate and parts of the bumper were recovered from the crash site.
The actor’s statement on the incident
After being unreachable for several hours with his mobile phone switched off, Maniyanpilla Raju appeared before the Museum Police on Friday morning. According to Manorama News, the actor admitted to being behind the wheel at the time of the collision. However, he contested the narrative of the accident, claiming the motorcycle was speeding and struck his vehicle while he was making a slow U-turn out of the club.
Raju explained that his decision to leave the scene was driven by a combination of health issues and personal circumstances. As per his statement cited by The Hindu, the actor mentioned he is a cancer survivor and was currently suffering from chikungunya. He claimed that he “panicked” after the impact and was anxious to return home because his wife was alone. He further asserted that he had informed others to ensure the victims received medical attention immediately after he left.
Legal charges pressed amid on-going investigation
The Museum Police have formally booked the actor under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He is specifically being charged under Section 281 for rash and negligent driving and Section 125(a) for acts endangering the life or personal safety of others. Apart from this, the actor also faces charges under the Motor Vehicles Act for failing to provide medical aid and failing to report the accident to the nearest police station.
The police have taken the actor’s car to check it for evidence and are currently going through CCTV footage from the Trivandrum Club and nearby streets to see exactly what happened. Even though Raju was allowed to go home after giving his statement, the police confirmed he’ll still have to undergo a medical exam to see if there was any other reason for the reckless driving.