Malayalam Actor Maniyanpilla Raju Linked to Hit-and-Run; Two Young Men Hospitalised

Malayalam actor Maniyanpilla Raju has been named in a Thiruvananthapuram hit-and-run case after his car allegedly hit a motorcycle, injuring two youths. Police identified the vehicle from a dislodged number plate.

Senior Malayalam film actor Maniyanpilla Raju has been named in a hit-and-run case in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, after his car allegedly struck two young motorcyclists late on Thursday night, leaving both men seriously injured.

Local police registered a complaint and began a search after the incident near Trivandrum Club at Vazhuthacaud, where a car with registration number KL-01 CJ-0004 reportedly hit the Royal Enfield motorcycle carrying the two victims before fleeing the scene.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed at the Museum police station, the crash occurred at around 9:30 pm on February 5. The two injured riders, both aged 20 and residents of Thiruvananthapuram, were quickly taken to a private hospital for treatment. One sustained fractures to his leg and shoulder, while the other suffered head and leg injuries, as per police accounts.

Police recovered a dislodged number plate at the scene, which helped identify the car involved in the crash as being registered in Raju’s name. Officers reportedly visited the actor’s residence twice but were unable to locate him or the vehicle. Multiple attempts to contact him by phone were unsuccessful, with his mobile reportedly switched off.

Investigators are yet to confirm whether Maniyanpilla Raju himself was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident or if someone else was behind the wheel. The case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act, reflecting offences including rash driving, failure to provide aid and leaving the accident site.

The incident has drawn attention due to Raju’s prominence in Malayalam cinema, prompting public and media scrutiny as authorities continue to piece together the circumstances of the collision and pursue further leads in the ongoing investigation.