KOCHI, KERALA — A horrifying late-night collision near Cochin International Airport has claimed the lives of three young students after a high-speed Mini Cooper rear-ended their scooter. The incident occurred at approximately 1:45 AM in the Nedumbassery area of Ernakulam district, sparking widespread public outrage.
The three victims—identified as 21-year-old college students and part-time sales workers Iyas, Devika, and Gopika—were returning from a late-night tea break when the tragedy struck.
According to eye-witness accounts and initial findings from the First Information Report (FIR), the victims were riding a single scooter when a luxury Mini Cooper traveling at an estimated speed of over 120 km/h violently struck them from behind. The sheer force of the impact threw all three occupants onto the tarmac, inflicting catastrophic injuries.
Furious local residents and bystanders who rushed to the scene following the loud crash immediately surrounded the vehicle and detained the 19-year-old driver, identified as Suhail Sajeev. Witnesses reported that the driver appeared intoxicated and engaged in heated arguments with locals, allegedly claiming his father would "handle everything".
Police subsequently arrested Sajeev and his co-passenger. Authorities confirmed that blood samples were collected for toxicology testing after the driver admitted to consuming alcohol prior to taking the wheel.
The Nedumbassery Police have registered a case under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
"Investigators are examining CCTV footage along the stretch and reviewing the driver's history of extreme speeding. Strict action will be taken against both the driver and establishments that served alcohol in violation of regulations."— Kochi Police Official
State authorities have initiated action against nearby liquor establishments to verify whether alcohol was unlawfully served to the underage driver, as the minimum legal drinking age in Kerala is 23. Further forensic examination of the vehicle and speed-tracking data remains ongoing.
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