Car rams policeman during early-morning check in Kochi; two youths arrested

Kochi: Ernakulam North police on Thursday arrested two youths in connection with a shocking incident in which a car driver rammed his vehicle into a policeman and knocked him down to evade inspection at Kaloor in the early hours of Wednesday.

The arrested persons have been identified as Shamnad (23) and Irshad (27), both natives of Kollam. They were arrested by noon from Kollam after investigators traced their escape route by scanning CCTV footage from multiple locations.

The incident pertaining to the case took place around 2.30 am on Sastha Road at Kaloor. According to police, three officers were conducting routine vehicle inspections when a car approached a junction from a pocket road. Two policemen were positioned on the right side of the road, while Assistant Sub-Inspector NP Santhosh stood on the opposite side.

Visuals that surfaced on Thursday show the vehicle slowing down as Santhosh and another officer moved in front of it to inspect. Moments later, the car suddenly veered left towards where Santhosh was standing and struck him. The impact flung the officer onto the bonnet before he was thrown to the right side of the road. In a dramatic sequence captured on CCTV camera, a two-wheeler passed by just as the officer fell, narrowly missing him.

“The officer sustained injuries to his thigh muscles and an elbow. If he had fallen in front of the bike, the injuries could have been far more serious,” a police officer said.

The car did not stop after the impact and sped away from the scene. During questioning after the arrest, the accused had claimed that they were under the influence of alcohol and acted recklessly to avoid being caught during the inspection. 

The police said a detailed investigation is underway to ascertain whether the accused have any prior criminal cases pending against them. “The duo said they have been friends for many years and they came to Kochi for a casual trip. But we are checking their backgrounds to verify this,” said police sources. 

Shamnad was driving the car at the time of the incident, while Irshad was seated in the front passenger seat.

The vehicle involved in the incident is registered in the name of Sakkeer Hussain, a native of Kollam and an acquaintance of the accused. However, he was not present in the vehicle at the time of the incident.

The accused persons will be produced before the court and further investigation is underway.