Kozhikode: A man, who was absconding for the past year after a hit-and-run incident on the national highway in Chorode near Vadakara, was apprehended from Coimbatore airport on Monday. The accused, Shajeel hailing from Purameri, will be handed over to Vadakara police. An elderly woman was killed and her nine-year-old grandchild was left in a coma following the accident on February 17, 2024. The injured girl, Drishana, is undergoing treatment.

The police had earlier issued a lookout notice for the accused, who was charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. 

The police had found the car involved in the accident last December, 10 months after the accident. The speeding car, KL 18 R 1846, driven by Shajeel, hit the girl and her 68-year-old grandmother, Baby, while they were crossing the road. Baby succumbed to her injuries while Drishana remained in a coma. 

After the accident, Shajeel modified the vehicle and fled the country. A special investigation team collected hundreds of CCTV visuals to locate the car. Statements were recorded from numerous individuals, and information was sought from workshops.

The insurance claim filed by Shajeel after the accident was a crucial turning point in the case. He claimed the car was damaged in a collision with a wall to obtain insurance money.