Two more held in Mini Cooper accident case, MVD to revoke Suhail Sajeev’s license

KOCHI: Two more have been arrested in the Mini Cooper accident case that claimed the lives of three in Kochi on Sunday. The two arrested are Ameen and Joel, friends of Suhail Sajeev (19), who caused the accident. Ninav (22) of Palaparambil House at Kommady in Alappuzhaa, another friend of Suhail was arrested yesterday. With this, the people arrested so far has reached four. A case of culpable homicide has been registered against them. Along with excessive consumption of alcohol, they will also be charged with failing to prevent the speeding of the car.

Soon after the accident, Joel and Ameen fled in another car that was nearby. The police arrested Ninav and Suhail, who were in the front seats of the Mini Cooper. The group had travelled after drinking alcohol at three different bars in succession. Meanwhile, the Motor Vehicles Department is expected to initiate proceedings to revoke Suhail Sajeev’s driving licence. The accident occurred at around 1.40 am on Sunday near Suvarnodyanam Biological Park, close to Nedumbassery airport.

The speeding Mini Cooper driven by Suhail will undergo a technical examination. Officials from BMW, the car's manufacturer, will examine the vehicle to determine its speed at the time of the accident and whether it had any technical defects, among other factors.

Suhail is the son of Sajeev, chairman of the clothing firm ‘Iha Designs’, and Nooha of Punchappadath, the company’s managing director. He is a BCom student at Rajagiri College in Kakkanad.

The speeding Mini Cooper rammed into a scooter carrying three people. All three scooter riders fell onto the road, striking their heads, and died instantly. The car dragged the scooter for another 100 metres before crashing into and breaking through a concrete barrier, where it finally came to a halt.

The three dead are Devika (Kukku, 21), daughter of Santhosh, a writer at Kalyana Mandiram Estate, and a resident of Santhosh Bhavan in Madakkimala, Kalpetta, Wayanad, Gopika (22), daughter of M R Pradeep Kumar, an auto driver from Mullankuzhi House in Nellatt, Edakurissi, Mannarkkad, Palakkad and Ilyas (21), son of Ibrahim of Kanakamanjal House in Coorg, Karnataka.

All three were students pursuing logistics courses in Ernakulam. They were also working part-time at Sukoyo Premium Craftshop in Thrikkakara. The accident occurred while they were returning after finishing work and having dinner at a hotel in Nedumbassery.