The tussle between Mahath (of 'Mankatha' fame) and Telugu actor Manchu Manoj took a new turn on Monday, after the former lodged a police complaint against the latter. Following this, cases have filed against Manoj and four others under sections 341, 294 (B), 323 and 506 (2).

Also, Mahath issued a statement, explaining his side of the story.

I was invited to a party after the Filmfare Awards which happened on 7th, Saturday, in Chennai. I was at this party with several others from the film fraternity. I was called by a friend of mine to have a personal chat away from the crowd, he said.

The up and coming actor said further: While I was having this conversation with my friend, Mr. Manoj Manchu, who is an actor from the Telugu film industry, along with his 3 other friends interrupted my private conversation with my friend and started hitting me without even telling me what the issue was about. I was assaulted by these men for several minutes — I was hit on my face, my stomach and my lower body. I had even received a blow to my throat. Nobody else was even allowed to interfere and stop this fight as the men who were hitting me along with Mr. Manoj were threatening who ever tried to stop them from hitting me.

As onlookers gathered and kept interfering, this gang stopped to hit me further. I was threatened after getting hit by Mr. Manoj saying that my death was in his hands and that he would go to any extent to use his influence to have me killed. He, in fact, used one of his gang members phone and called someone and instructed them to have me killed at any cost and that he would take care of any issues that followed, he said.

Mahath added: I was in complete shock and was insulted by them in the most abusive language. This incident happened around 4 am in the morning of 8th July. After I was assaulted, I had called one of my friends who came to pick me from the spot and I was taken to a hospital. I was treated for a swollen eye, severe pain to my right jaw. The doctors in emergency ward had told me that I was lucky to survive the blow to my throat as it would have easily dislocated my jaw.

It took me seven hours to be treated in the hospital. I am asked to be under treatment for the next five days. I am still in mental shock and fear for my life as he had even made an attempt to inform people to have me killed. I am worried for my life. After I was treated in the hospital, I lodged a complaint with the police department for the assault and have continued to file an FIR for the same. I still fear for my life as he is very influential, he concluded.

However Manoj says, ‘Mahat and I are good friends from like forever. There was a misunderstanding and we cleared it but there are a lot of rumors making the rounds now. We continue to be good friends”.

Rumor mills are working overtime that the two had a fight to do with Taapsee, who is a good friend to both the actors.