Navas’s kin reject ‘LIC payout’ claim

Kochi: The family of late actor Kalabhavan Navas has dismissed claims on social media platforms in connection with an alleged LIC insurance payout. In a statement shared on social media, the family clarified that the viral message claiming that LIC handed over Rs 26 lakh to them through a "death claim" was false. The post was also shared by Navas's brother and actor Niyas Backer. "Friends, after Navas's passing, a post is being circulated in the name of LIC claiming that the family received Rs 26 lakh through a death claim. This is entirely fake. Certain agents are spreading this false news with the intention of misleading others," read the Facebook post shared by Backer. The statement added that such baseless propaganda was deeply hurtful to the bereaved family. "We request everyone not to fall prey to these misleading claims. We are very saddened by the spread of such fake news," the statement said. The 51-year-old actor was found dead in a hotel room in Chottanikkara last month following a cardiac arrest. According to Chottanikkara Police, Navas was discovered unresponsive in his hotel room around 8.30pm, where he was staying during the shoot of the film ‘Prakambanam'. Navas made his film debut in Chaithanyam (1995). Later, he rose to fame with his performances in popular Malayalam films such as Hitler Brothers (1997), Junior Mandrake (1997) and Mattupetti Machan (1998) among others.