Three young workers were killed in the early hours of Sunday when a speeding Mini Cooper rammed their scooter from behind on the airport road at Nedumbassery, near Kochi. The 19-year-old driver has been arrested on a charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, the Indian Express and NDTV reported.
The crash
The accident occurred around 1.45 am on October 11 on the road leading to Cochin International Airport in Kerala's Ernakulam district. CCTV footage of the incident shows the Mini Cooper hurtling down the stretch before slamming into the scooter, throwing its three occupants onto the road. Police suspect the car was travelling at more than 120 kmph, based on witness accounts, the Times of India reported.
Police identified the dead as Devika, 21, of Wayanad; Gopika, 22, of Palakkad; and Iyas, 21, of Karnataka. The three worked at a craft shop in Thrikkakara and were returning towards Athani after a tea break near the airport when the car struck. They were rushed to hospitals in Desom and Angamaly, where they were declared dead.
Driver in custody, alcohol angle probed
The driver, college student Suhail Sajeev, 19, was taken into custody from the spot and booked under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. His co-passenger, 19-year-old Ninav, has also been arrested.
Ernakulam Rural District Police Chief K S Sudarshan said blood and urine samples had been taken for forensic examination. While the reports are awaited, he said the preliminary probe indicated the driver was inebriated. Kerala's legal drinking age is 23, and the state Excise Minister has ordered action against bars that allegedly served alcohol to the teenager before the crash, NDTV reported.
Remarks trigger outrage
The case has sparked public anger after the accused was reported as telling onlookers, "What are roads meant for? Driving, right?" and claiming his father would "take care of it". Police said the driver's background, including social media videos of high-speed driving, would be investigated.
Sources:
Kochi airport crash: Drunk teen kills 3 on scooter in speeding Mini Cooper — Indian Express
'Father Will Take Care Of It': Kerala Teen After Killing 3 With Mini Cooper — NDTV
'Speeding at 120kmph': CCTV shows 'drunk' teen's Mini Cooper crashing into scooter — Times of India
The crash
The accident occurred around 1.45 am on October 11 on the road leading to Cochin International Airport in Kerala's Ernakulam district. CCTV footage of the incident shows the Mini Cooper hurtling down the stretch before slamming into the scooter, throwing its three occupants onto the road. Police suspect the car was travelling at more than 120 kmph, based on witness accounts, the Times of India reported.
Police identified the dead as Devika, 21, of Wayanad; Gopika, 22, of Palakkad; and Iyas, 21, of Karnataka. The three worked at a craft shop in Thrikkakara and were returning towards Athani after a tea break near the airport when the car struck. They were rushed to hospitals in Desom and Angamaly, where they were declared dead.
Driver in custody, alcohol angle probed
The driver, college student Suhail Sajeev, 19, was taken into custody from the spot and booked under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. His co-passenger, 19-year-old Ninav, has also been arrested.
Ernakulam Rural District Police Chief K S Sudarshan said blood and urine samples had been taken for forensic examination. While the reports are awaited, he said the preliminary probe indicated the driver was inebriated. Kerala's legal drinking age is 23, and the state Excise Minister has ordered action against bars that allegedly served alcohol to the teenager before the crash, NDTV reported.
Remarks trigger outrage
The case has sparked public anger after the accused was reported as telling onlookers, "What are roads meant for? Driving, right?" and claiming his father would "take care of it". Police said the driver's background, including social media videos of high-speed driving, would be investigated.
Sources:
Kochi airport crash: Drunk teen kills 3 on scooter in speeding Mini Cooper — Indian Express
'Father Will Take Care Of It': Kerala Teen After Killing 3 With Mini Cooper — NDTV
'Speeding at 120kmph': CCTV shows 'drunk' teen's Mini Cooper crashing into scooter — Times of India
