KOCHI: Three youths were killed when a speeding Mini Cooper, driven by Alappuzha South native Sajeev Jamal’s son Suhail (19) rammed their scooter at 1.45am on Sunday on the airport road along Nedumbassery.Police arrested an ‘inebriated’ Suhail on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The deceased were identified as Devika (21) of Wayanad, Gopika (22) of Palakkad and Iyas (21) of Coorg, Karnataka.CCTV footage showed the premium hatchback hitting the two-wheeler from behind and the passengers being thrown off on impact. The victims were killed on the spot and the scooter landed some distance away. People rushed them to Desom CA hospital and Angamaly Taluk Hospital where the youths were declared dead.Nedumbassery Police said that the trio were employees of a craft shop in Thrikkakara and had gone to a tea shop near the airport. They were heading to Athani when the car rammed their scooter. The front portion of the car was mangled in the crash.District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) KS Sudarshan said police took Suhail into custody from the spot and the team completed his medical examination immediately. He said they took blood and urine samples for forensic examination. Sudarshan said although the reports of his blood sample are awaited, preliminary probe indicated that he was inebriated. When asked if he was driving under the influence of other intoxicants, he said the police took samples to check the same and further action would be taken based on medical reports.Soon after the accident, videos from an Instagram page, purportedly belonging to Suhail, were shared widely on social media. One of them was an Instagram story that showed the car rocketing at a speed of 220km/hr during a highway ride. Sudarshan said his team had taken note of the incident and the driver’s background will be investigated.“We have cameras on these routes. If such activities happened in the past, we will investigate them,” he said. Reacting to reports that Suhail’s co-passenger had quarrelled with first responders, he said that they will collect statements and act accordingly. He added that further sections can be added against Suhail as and when an offence is detected. A detailed forensic examination of the car was held.The SP said the team will look into public concerns that car races are happening in the region. “Witnesses said the car was speeding and we suspect it was over 120km/hr,” said the officer.People confronted Suhail when police took him to a hospital for medical examination. Amid reports that his co-passenger, Ninav (19), told first responders that his father will take care of things, some individuals, who were at the hospital, asked him about his father’s whereabouts. Police had to use force to protect him from the ire of the public.Meanwhile, excise department began an inquiry into bars that allegedly served alcohol to Suhail, who is below the legal drinking age of 23.Police have also arrested Ninav.
