A court in Angamaly has granted police custody of four accused in the Kochi Mini Cooper crash that killed three young people near Nedumbassery, allowing investigators to question them until 5 pm on Thursday, October 15.
The four accused, including 19-year-old Suhail, were produced before the court after being remanded to judicial custody and sent to a Borstal school, a correctional facility for young offenders. Police had sought custody for further questioning in connection with the crash, and a police officer confirmed that the request had been granted.
The crash occurred early on Sunday near Kochi when a speeding Mini Cooper allegedly driven by Suhail hit a scooter at Nedumbassery. Three people, aged around 21, including two women, died in the collision. Police have said that the driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
A medical examination reportedly found a high level of alcohol in the accused driver’s bloodstream. Following the examination, police invoked additional charges in the case. The charges include Section 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to rash driving; Section 49 on abetment; Section 3(5) concerning common intention; and Section 105, which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Police have also invoked Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act for driving by a drunken person.
The police custody period is expected to be used for further questioning as investigators examine the circumstances of the collision and the allegations surrounding the driver’s condition. The court’s order keeps the case within the judicial process while the investigation proceeds.
The incident has also become a matter of discussion in the Kerala Assembly. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala assured the Assembly that strong action would be taken against the accused. He was responding to a submission by Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, who referred to media reports alleging delays in registering the first information report, arresting the driver and conducting the medical examination.
The immediate next step is the completion of police questioning by 5 pm on October 15, after which the accused are expected to be presented before the court for further proceedings.
