Actor Jagathy to pull out from lottery ads

Taking the cue from the concern voiced by Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan over the craze for lotteries in the State, veteran Malayalam actor Jagathy Sreekumar today said he would pull out from appearing in advertisements of lotteries.

“I made this decision as part of my social commitment. As an artiste, I have certain responsibilities to society”, Mr. Sreemkumar, who is a brand ambassador for Sikkim Lotteries, told a Malayalam television channel.

Mr. Sreekumar, who excels in comedy and character roles and has a huge fan following, said he had taken seriously the concern expressed by Mr. Achuthanandan over lotteries assuming dimensions of gambling.

He said he had not entered into a life-long contract with any advertisement firm to be brand ambassador of lotteries.

Mr. Achuthanandan had recently said the craze for lotteries and consumption of alcoholic drinks had assumed dangerous dimensions in Kerala society.

There have also been allegations of millions of lottery tickets from Sikkim and Bhutan being sold in Kerala and their agents indulging in tax evasions.