At around 1:45 a.m. Sunday, a Mini Cooper driven by 19‑year‑old Suhail Sajeev collided with a scooter heading to the airport. The impact threw three riders—Devika, 21, from Wayanad; Gopika, 22, from Palakkad; and Ijaz, 21, from Mangaluru—onto the road, and the car dragged the scooter for roughly 100 metres before coming to a halt. All three were employees of a private company in Kakkanad and were on a break to grab tea when the accident occurred.
After the crash, the driver showed no remorse, reportedly asking police, “What are roads meant for? Driving, right?” and claiming his father would “take care of it.” A video of him being examined shows a group of local youngsters allegedly assaulting him, sparking outrage on social media.
Investigators say Sajeev had visited several bars earlier that night and allegedly consumed alcohol, a violation of Kerala’s 23‑year‑old drinking law. In response, Kerala Excise Minister M Liju instructed the Excise Commissioner to identify the establishments that served him and file cases against them.
The police FIR, filed at the Ernakulam police station, details the crash and the driver’s alleged statements. Bodies were transferred to a hospital for autopsies while the investigation continues. The next step will be charges filed against Sajeev and the implicated bars, with a court hearing expected in the coming weeks.