Actor Manikandan rejects charges of stripping

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “I have done several unwanted acts in the past, but this time I am innocent,” says serial actor Manikandan. Talking to reporters here on Saturday, the comedian, who was booked by the Sreekariyam Police the other day for stripping in front of a ladies hostel in Kariavattom, claimed innocence in the case. The actor said that his car ran out of fuel in front of the hostel compound on the opposite side. “When I was searching for a bottle in front of the compound wall of the hostel, some youth and the security men of the hostel circled me and alleged that I was there for nude show,” he said.    “My repeated pleas didn’t work and they called the police who also didn’t believe me,” he said.The Sreekariyam Police said that the actor had admitted that he had earlier stripped in front of the same hostel six times. But Manikandan said that the police had misinterpreted his statement that he went to Kazhakkoottam six times recently.   “The car was later refuelled by the police and taken to the station. Am I that mad to dare such an act with a car that had  run out of fuel?” he asked.   “The locals and security men detained me mistakenly. They say a youth had streaked in front of the hostel six times. But it was not me,” he said.  On his earlier arrest in connection with a chain- snatching case he said that it was a ‘half-fabricated’ one. “My friends had misbehaved with that woman following a dispute. She made a complaint of chain snatching attempt to increase the gravity of the case,” he added.