Kochi: A youth, returning home after his mother’s funeral, was in for another heartbreak when he lost his childhood friends in a road accident in Kochi early on Saturday.

Two died and two others were critically injured in a car crash near Changampuzha Park near Edappally, in Kochi.

The four friends - Haroon, Muneer, Yakub and Adhil - were on their way to pick up their friend Abdullah, who had just flown in from the Middle East after attending his mother’s funeral, when their Maruti Swift lost control and crashed into a Kochi Metro pillar around 3.30 am.

The victims, all in their early 20s, had grown up together in Alappuzha. While Haroon and Muneer lost their lives, Yakub and Adhil were seriously injured and remain under treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a private hospital in Kochi.

According to relatives, the four had left Alappuzha late on Friday night to receive Abdullah at the airport. “Yakub was at home till around 9 pm and left for Kochi with his friends soon after. They were all inseparable since childhood, always together, whether it was short trips or family events,” said Abbas Ilayil, Yakub’s uncle.

According to Kabir, a close family friend of Abdullah, he had travelled to the Middle East with his aunts following his mother’s death recently. His parents were settled in the Middle East. Abdullah and his aunts were returning home early Sunday morning. His aunts were picked up by another car, while the four friends planned to pick him up separately. 

“He waited for them at the airport for a long time. When they did not arrive, he called one of their phones and a police officer answered and broke the news. He immediately rushed to the hospital in another vehicle. Abdullah, still reeling from his mother’s recent death, is still in deep shock,” said Kabir.

Preliminary investigation by the Elamakkara police indicates that the vehicle was being driven at high speed when it hit the median and rammed Metro Pillar No. 450.

“Prima facie, it appears to be a case of speeding. We are also examining CCTV footage to determine whether the driver lost control while trying to avoid something on the road,” said a police officer. 

Local residents near the accident spot told police that the car may have skidded while attempting to avoid a pothole, leading to the collision. The impact crushed the left side of the vehicle, the side where Haroon and Muneer were seated, killing them on the spot.

Both Yakub and Adhil continue to battle for life. Doctors said Yakub has sustained a blood clot in the head and remains unconscious. “The doctors have done one scan and will do another after 24 hours. They will compare results and see if there’s improvement. If not, a surgery might be needed,” Abbas said. 

Adhil’s cousin, Ijas, said he has multiple internal injuries, including to his lungs and ribs. “He’s having breathing difficulties and remains on ventilator support. Doctors have kept him under observation for 48 hours,” he said.

Abbas said that a doctor who happened to be among the first rescuers reportedly administered CPR to Yakub and Adhil after finding them alive before emergency services arrived. Both were rushed to a private hospital within minutes.

Relatives described the group as a close-knit circle of friends. “They were more like brothers than friends. This was just another routine trip for them as they had driven to Kochi together countless times before,” said Abbas. 

Yakub is a degree student at SD College, Alappuzha, while Adhil is pursuing a design course in Ernakulam.