KOCHI: A 64-year-old man lost his life after an Uber taxi rammed into a two-wheeler near Pathadippalam in Kochi. The deceased has been identified as Saju, a native of Kalamassery.
A fellow passenger on the bike sustained serious injuries and has been admitted to a nearby private hospital, police said.
The incident occurred around 11.45 pm on Friday near Metro Pillar No. 361 at Pathadippalam, when the car rear-ended the motorcycle travelling in the same direction.
In the impact, both riders were thrown off the bike, while the car dragged the motorcycle along the road for some distance before it was flung beneath a car parked nearby, said the officer.
“The accident took place when Saju went out with his son-in-law, Ashish Nirmal, 30, a resident of Njarakkal, to drop him off.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the hit-and-run occurred after the Uber driver momentarily lost concentration, possibly while reaching for his mobile phone or a water bottle inside the car,” said an officer with the Kalamassery police station. The driver, Anas, 27, a native of Pattambi, was later arrested, the officer added.