Kochi night check accident: Police mull attempt-to-murder charge as youths allege frame-up

Kochi: The investigation into the accident during a late-night vehicle inspection at Kochi’s Chellanam has intensified, with the police stating on Monday that they are considering adding an 'attempt to murder’ charge against the two youths involved. The move comes as the police await the statement of Civil Police Officer (CPO) Bijumon, who sustained critical injuries in the collision.

Kannamaly police sources indicated that stricter charges are imminent, citing the reckless nature of the incident and medical records suggesting the youths were under the influence of alcohol.

“The investigation is ongoing. The accused failed to stop the speeding vehicle and hit the police driver. Hospital records clearly indicate the youths were under the influence of alcohol. We may have to slap an attempt to murder charge on them and record their arrest. However, further actions will be taken once we record the statement of the CPO,” a police officer said

CPO Bijumon, who was injured while attempting to stop the motorbike, is currently recuperating in a private hospital in Kochi. Police sources said that he underwent procedures, including plastic surgery, to fix injuries to his nose and mouth and is currently unable to speak.

Meanwhile, the youths have vehemently denied the police version of events again, accusing the force of trying to trap them. Rahul Sabu, who rode the damaged motorcycle to the hospital with the injured Anil Rajendran, disputed the alcohol allegations.

“We were not drunk. If we were, why did the police not arrest us at the spot? Even at the hospital, nobody mentioned we had consumed alcohol,” Rahul told the media.

Anil’s father, Rajendran, also refuted the claims. “I asked Anil about the incident again after news about the ‘smell of alcohol’ in the medical records surfaced. Though he cannot speak properly due to facial injuries, he denied it,” Rajendran said. 

He further alleged that no action has been taken on his complaint regarding the police “abandoning” his injured son at the accident site.

The potential escalation in charges follows a concerted effort by the Kochi City Police on Sunday to reinforce their version of the events. The police released CCTV visuals and medical records to counter allegations that officers had acted inhumanely by leaving the injured youths to fend for themselves.

The incident happened around 2 am on Thursday when Anil and Rahul, natives of Alappuzha, were returning from Christmas celebrations in Fort Kochi. While the police state the youths crashed into CPO Bijumon after failing to stop for a signal, the youths alleged that the officer grabbed the motorcycle's handle, causing it to topple.

One of the central claims made by the youths was that Rahul had to tie the injured Anil to his body using a T-shirt and belt to ride nearly 20 km to the Chettikkad Government Hospital. However, CCTV footage released Sunday from the Rural Health Training Centre at Chettikkad appeared to disprove this. The visuals showed the pair arriving at 2.45 am with Rahul riding and Anil on the pillion, untied. Anil was seen disembarking and walking into the facility without support, though visibly injured.

Police also highlighted inconsistencies in the youths' statements, noting that medical certificates recorded their claim of falling from the bike while avoiding a street dog. The medical records for Anil also noted a “smell of alcohol,” a point the police are now leveraging to press for harsher charges.