KOCHI: The police probe into the car accident that killed three persons, including two models, is now focusing on the party held in a Fort Kochi hotel that the deceased had attended. It was while returning from the party that the trio’s vehicle crashed at Chakkaraparambu near Vyttila in the wee hours of November 1. The police, who suspect the car covered a distance of 19km from Fort Kochi to Chakkaraparambu in less than 30 minutes, are also checking whether the vehicle was involved in any competitive racing at the time of the accident.
“Details of the party and the people who took part in it are crucial for the probe. We suspect more than 20 people attended the event, held at a hotel in Fort Kochi,” said a police official. “It is also suspected that liquor was served at the hotel’s bar late into the night. As per excise rules, bar operations, including serving of liquor, has to be stopped by 9pm. Once such evidence emerges, we will name more persons as accused,” said the official.
A police team visited the hotel on Wednesday to collect CCTV camera footage, but could not do so due to technical issues. The police will now retrieve the footage with the help of Cybercell officers. The excise department has already suspended the bar licence of the hotel after it emerged that liquor used to be supplied there daily till late night. Excise officials said the licence suspension is not linked to the accident, but was done based on the information given by the police regarding the violations committed by the hotel. The police are checking whether the Ford Figo car that met with the accident was involved in any competitive driving.
“It is suspected that the car was cruising at a speed of 100km-120km per hour on the NH stretch from Kundannoor to Chakkaraparambu. We have to check whether it was involved in any competitive driving. We have collected CCTV camera footage from private surveillance cameras in Mattanchery, Thoppumpady, Thevara, Kundannoor and Vyttila,” said a police official.
Rewind...
On November 1, the car carrying Miss South India Ansi Kabeer, Miss Kerala 2019 first runner-up Anjana Shajan and Thrissur native Mohammad Ashiq and driven by Mala native Abdul Rehman hit a bike and crashed into a tree on the side of the NH stretch at Chakkaraparambu. Ansi and Anjana died on the spot, while Ashiq succumbed to injuries at a private hospital in Kochi. Rehman was arrested on Monday after he was discharged from the hospital.