KOLLAM: The Sasthamcotta police on Monday arrested a doctor and a 29-year-old man in connection with the death of 47-year-old Kunjumol from Mynagappally in a hit-and-run case. The accused are Ajmal of Karunagappally and Dr Sreekutty, 27, of Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram. Ajmal was arrested around 9:30am from Patharam and has been charged under Section 105 (culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Dr Sreekutty has been charged with abetment to murder.
The police said the duo were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. While returning from a party in Sasthamcotta, the car driven by Ajmal hit a scooter carrying Kunjumol and her sister-in-law Fauzia at 5.30pm on Sunday.
After hitting the scooter, Ajmal ran over Kunjumol and fled. Kunjumol suffered severe injuries to her chest and head and was rushed to Valiyath Hospital in Karunagappally by residents. She succumbed to her injuries that night. Fauzia was injured too. The preliminary investigation indicates the car was speeding.
Fauzia confirmed this, stating, “I could see the car was overspeeding and out of control. Kunjumol was trapped under the car, which then reversed and drove over her before fleeing. She died from the injuries that resulted when the wheels ran over her body and head. I survived because I was thrown to the opposite side of the road.”
Ajmal later collided with two more cars while fleeing and eventually crashed into a wall before abandoning the vehicle.
Sreekutty sought refuge in a house nearby but was apprehended by local residents who had been following the accused and she was handed over to the police.
During questioning, Ajmal claimed he did not stop due to fear of a mob attacking him. Sreekutty alleged that Ajmal had taken her gold ornaments.
“Ajmal, who works as a taxi driver in Karunagappally, met Sreekutty at the hospital’s emergency department where she was employed. He said he did not stop the vehicle out of fear of the crowd. Both were intoxicated at the time of the accident. Witnesses reported that they had seen both the accused consuming alcohol shortly before the incident. Kunjumol and Fauzia were at a shop to buy items and were crossing the road when the car coming from Sasthamcotta side hit their scooter. During the collision, they were thrown from their scooter, and Ajmal ran over Kunjumol before fleeing,” a police source said.
‘Ajmal has criminal background’
The Kollam Rural SP confirmed that Ajmal has a criminal background. “He was earlier arrested for sandalwood smuggling and other fraud cases. We are investigating if there are any additional cases against him,” said Kollam Rural SP Sabu Mathew. The accused duo was sent to 14-day judicial custody. Ajmal was sent to Kollam district prison, Kollam, while Sreekutty was taken to the women’s correctional home in Attakulangara in Thiruvananthapuram.
Hospital sacks doctor
Kollam: Valiyath hospital in Karunagappally terminated Dr Sreekutty from service on Monday in connection with the hit-and-run case. “Though the management came to know about the incident on Sunday, a decision could not be taken as it was Onam holiday. Later, the decision to terminate Dr Sreekutty from service was taken on Monday and by noon the human resources department officially readied the termination report. Though she took leave on Sunday and Monday, she failed to fulfil her ethical duty as doctor,” said the PRO office of the hospital.
SHRC steps in
The State Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of the case and requested a report from the Kollam Rural Police Chief within two weeks. “It is surprising that the woman in the car, a doctor, did not grasp the gravity of the incident,” said V K Beena Kumari, a member of the commission.