Five people, including three autorickshaw drivers, were injured when a car crashed into a footpath near the General Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. The injured have been identified as autorickshaw drivers Shafi, Surendran and Kumar, along with passengers Anjaneyan and Sreepriya. Sreepriya and Anjaneyan, employees at a shop, had come to the hospital after she complained of breathing difficulties. Two of the injured, Shafi and Anjaneyan, are in critical condition. Kumar, who was inside his autorickshaw at the time of the accident and sustained injuries to his leg has been discharged. 

A senior police officer told Onmanorama that the car driver, identified as Vishnunath from Vattiyoorkavu, and his relative Vijayan are in custody. According to Vijayan’s statement, the duo was on the road to fine-tune Vishnunath's driving skills. He then mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake. Vishnunath has held a driving licence since 2019. The duo escaped without any injuries.

“A preliminary medical assessment indicated that Vishnunath was sober, but a blood alcohol test was conducted and the results are awaited. A case will be registered for rash and negligent driving,” the officer added.

The car first hit a man and a woman who were about to board an autorickshaw; then it struck three autorickshaw drivers. All sustained leg and head injuries. “The vehicle, which was initially moving very slowly, quickly gathered momentum and crashed into people. It then rammed into poles on the footpath,” an onlooker said. The front portion of the vehicle was completely crushed in the accident.