Kochi/Wayanad Oct 12 Three more people were arraigned as accused in the accident in which three youngsters were killed after a speeding Mini Cooper car hit their scooter at Nedumbassery near here, police said on Monday.
The family members of Devika of Wayanad, who died in the accident, said that police should evoke murder charges against the accused persons.
The accident occurred around 2 am on Sunday, when a speeding Mini Cooper struck the scooter carrying the three youngsters.
Kochi native Suhail, who was allegedly driving the car under the influence of alcohol, was arrested soon after the incident and a case for culpable homicide not amounting to murder was registered against him.
Police said that Suhail's mother gifted the luxury-category car as a birthday gift and there were videos of his clocking over 200 km per hour on several occasions.
His friend Ninav was also taken into custody on Sunday, police said.
During the investigation, police found that two more persons, identified as Ameer and Joel, were also in the car.
They allegedly fled the scene soon after the accident and were later taken into custody from Alappuzha with the help of local police, officials said.
{{/usCountry}}They allegedly fled the scene soon after the accident and were later taken into custody from Alappuzha with the help of local police, officials said.
{{/usCountry}}Suhail is the first accused in the case, while Ninav, Ameer and Joel have been arraigned as accused for allegedly abetting the offence, police said.
The investigation revealed that Suhail and Ninav had consumed alcohol at bars in Ernakulam city before Ameer and Joel joined them.
The four allegedly continued drinking despite being heavily intoxicated and then travelled in the car, police said.
According to police, Ameer and Joel had reached Nedumbassery to pick up a friend arriving at the airport.
As the flight was delayed, they joined Suhail for a high-speed ride in the Mini Cooper.
Police said two occupants got out of the car and fled after the accident, allegedly escaping in another vehicle.
The arrest of the three accused persons will be formally recorded, police said.
Officials added that police would soon file a petition with the court seeking Suhail's custody for further investigation.
Meanwhile, family members of Devika, who died in the accident, told reporters that action should be taken so that such an incident should not happen in future.
"A case has been registered for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Instead, a murder case should be registered because he drove the vehicle in such a reckless manner. Such an incident should not happen to anyone in the future," Sandeep, Devika's uncle, said.
He said Devika, Gopika and Iyas, all around 21 years old, were the hopes of their respective families and were about to enter a new phase of their lives after completing their studies.
"Devika was the lamp of this house. She studied and worked so hard," he said.
Sandeep said Devika's family had sold their land to finance her education.
"There is no place for us here even to keep the body. The body was kept at our ancestral home," he said.
Devika was planning to move to the Gulf in two to four months after securing a good job, he said, adding that she was the sole breadwinner of her family.
The other two deceased youngsters were also the main support of their respective families, he added.
He claimed that Suhail Sajeevan had received the luxury car as a birthday gift from his mother when he was 19, and he referred to social media posts allegedly showing him driving at high speeds.
Sandeep also referred to reports that Suhail had told people after the accident that his father would handle the case.
"He might have said this because his father has a lot of money. But we believe the government and police will handle the case fairly. We hope the government and police will help us," he said.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.