Director Lijo Jose Pellissery has alleged on Facebook that a few policemen harassed the crew of Angamaly Diaries who were on a promotion tour in Muvattupuzha. Lijo says that the police asked them to step out of the car, using obscene language. “I wonder how law and order would be maintained in our land when those who are supposed to protect us behave like this. All this happened in front of the theatre and the police could have identified the actors just from the poster. But they asked them what they were doing inside the car and continued to misbehave,” he said in the video.
Meanwhile Ernakulam Rural Superintendent A V George justified the ‘inspection’. “The law clearly states that the glass of the vehicles should not be covered using sticker or any other means. The covering of the vehicle windows using cinema posters amounts to an offense under the Motor Vehicles Act and the Supreme Court too has given a similar observation,” the officer said.
The Rural SP has asked for an explanation from the Muvattupuzha DySP on why the vehicle was released without taking any action despite finding out the offense. Earlier, the Motor Vehicle Department too had intercepted the same vehicle on March 7 for sticking postures covering the glasses. A fine of Rs 500 was slapped then besides asking the film organizers to remit Rs 12,900 as fee. “A direction was then handed out to remove the stickers,” said Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector Dileep Kumar.
