Award-winning Malayalam film director Priyanandan TR accused a group of RSS and BJP activists of assaulting him with cow dung near his residence in Thrissur early this morning.

The director’s recent post on Facebook regarding the Sabarimala issue had drawn flak from several people, following which he had to take down the post. A few BJP members had allegedly threatened to file a case against him for hurting religious sentiments. Priyanandan, who countered their threats, was manhandled by unidentified people and attacked with cow dung on his way to a shop near his house at Vallachira in the Thrissur district. “They shouted at me for posting the comment. I can identify the assailants. I suspect RSS-BJP workers were behind the attack,” he said. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan backed the director and has demanded the Thrissur police commissioner to arrest his assailants.

The investigation is currently underway as the police have registered a case. Priyanandan’s film Pulijanmam received the National Award for Best Feature Film in 2006.