Deadly snake in actors gift pack : Narrow escape

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 10; An actor who arrived at an educational institution to inaugurate the college union and arts club is presented with a deadly snake, that too gift wrapped.

Manuraj, a popular film and television artist, was the one who had to face such an ordeal. The young actor, hailing from Kochi, had arrived at Kothamangalam around noon to inaugurate the College Union and the Arts Club of the Govt. Polytechnic, Kothamangalam in Thrissur District. After the formal inauguration followed by the inaugural address, a student leader came up on the stage and expressed his gratitude to the actor for having come over and he also said that they would like to present him with a gift. And then another student came up with a gift, packed neatly in gift wrapper.

On his way back, it seemed to Manuraj that there was some movement inside the gift packet. And hence to satisfy his curiosity, he opened the pack and there it was, a 30 inch long deadly snake. He shrieked out, "Snake! The driver of the vehicle lost control and the car fell into a ditch. People gathered and they killed the snake. Manuraj went to the Kothamangalam Police Station and lodged a complaint. The Police are reported to be on the hunt for the miscreants.

When contacted over the phone, Manuraj, who was on board a train en route to Thiruvananthapuram said, "It was a narrow escape. The snake was deadly and moreover the accident too could have been fatal. God's grace that I was saved." Manuraj, a budding young actor, has been in the field for the past few years.

He started getting noticed after he did a key role in the tele-serial Sthree and also a notable character in Vinayan's film Vaasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pine Njaanum. Of late he had acted in Chinthamani Kolacase, Pathaaka and Baba Kalyani. And at present, Manuraj is doing Thulasidas' Rakshakan, alongside Kalabhavan Mani. AMMA and MAC TA have decided to take up the issue seriously and they have arranged a press-meet at Thiruvananthapuram too.