MALAPPURAM: A high-end car with gold smugglers on board, which was speeding on the Kozhikode airport road on Sunday morning, knocked down two motorcycle-borne Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials who intercepted the vehicle barely a kilometre from the airport.
Six DRI officials — in an Innova car and on two Bullets — were giving a hot chase to the smugglers’ car, also an Innova Crysta bearing the registration number KL 16 R 5005, when the incident occurred. A DRI source said they had received a tip-off on two persons transporting 4.3kg of gold in compound form as well as money in the car to the Kozhikode area.
On being intercepted near the airport, the smugglers initially slowed down the vehicle. But on realising that they were accosted by DRI officials, the vehicle sped away knocking over the officials. But the smugglers’ car swerved violently and hit a roadside tree. Two officials and a smuggler — Nisar P, 28, son of Kunhali, hailing from Mukkam, here — sustained injuries. The other smuggler managed to flee the spot.
“The injury to one of the DRI officials is serious” said a DRI source. “These people smuggled in the gold through the Kozhikode airport. . The follow-up investigation will be conducted on the basis of the information provided bv the person in our custody,” the source added. A case was filed against the smugglers for endangering lives of DRI officials.