Thrissur, June 6
Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko's father died when a car, in which he was on the way to Bengaluru, crashed with a lorry at Dharmapuri near Salem on Friday.
The car occupants included the actor, his father, mother, brother and driver.
Chacko's father breathed his last while he was taken to the hospital. Chacko suffered injuries to his hands.
The rest of the family and the driver are now reported to be out of danger.
The family which left from here in the wee hours was on its way to Bengaluru for the treatment of the actor, who is presently undergoing de-addiction rehabilitation.
The actor was in the news since April after he was arrested after nearly three hours of questioning under Sections 27 and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
As both were bailable offences at the station level, he was released on bail, and a formal case was registered.
During interrogation, Chacko reportedly admitted to using drugs after being confronted with digital evidence, including phone records and footage of his alleged participation in rave parties around Kochi.
Following his admission, police recorded his arrest and took him for a routine medical examination.
This is not the first time Chacko has faced drug-related allegations.
In February, he was acquitted along with four women models in a 2015 cocaine use case after the prosecution failed to prove the charges.
Incidentally, during the period of Chacko's arrest, his parents and brother were also summoned by the probe team.
They had agreed to take the actor for de-addiction treatment.
In April, Chacko was named by an arrested woman drug peddler who claimed to have supplied drugs to him and fellow actor Sreenath Bhasi
— IANS
Reader Comments
Terrible tragedy for the family. Losing a parent is painful enough without the added trauma of an accident. Hope Shine recovers soon physically and emotionally. This should be a wake-up call about the dangers of drug abuse. ðŸ™
So sad to hear about his father's demise. Road accidents in India are becoming too common - we need better highway safety measures. As for Shine, I hope he uses this as turning point in his life. His family stood by him during tough times, now he must honor his father's memory by staying clean.
Tragic incident, but can't ignore the drug angle. Malayalam film industry needs to clean up its act. Too many young talents are getting ruined. Hope this serves as warning to others in the industry. #SayNoToDrugs
My heart goes out to the family. They were trying to help him recover when this tragedy struck. Shows how precious life is. Hope media gives them space to grieve instead of sensationalizing the drug angle right now.
Dharmapuri-Salem stretch is notorious for accidents. Authorities must improve road conditions and enforce speed limits strictly. About Shine - talented actor but needs to sort his priorities. Hope he comes out stronger from this double tragedy.
So heartbreaking 💔 They were traveling for his treatment when this happened. Life can change in seconds. Prayers for the family's strength. Hope Shine realizes how much his family sacrificed for him and turns his life around.
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