Kochi: The last time Shiji Justin saw Jasliya Johnson, the 19-year-old girl who died after a hit-and-run accident in Angamaly, was when she stood at the gate of her house in Edavanakkad, smiling and waving goodbye.

It was a Saturday afternoon two weeks ago. Jasliya had come to spend time with Shiji's daughter Jyotsna CJ, her childhood friend. The two girls had studied together till Class 10 at SDPY KPM Higher Secondary School in Edavanakkad, and even after Jasliya moved to Angamaly Morning Star College for higher studies, the visits continued whenever she came home.

"She usually comes in the afternoon and stays till dusk. That day, too, they were chatting and laughing. When it started getting dark, I reminded her that the path to her house is very narrow and there are no lights," Shiji recalled while speaking to Onmanorama.

But Jasliya smiled and reassured her.

"She said, 'Don't worry aunty. I will be fine.' She said goodbye and left. That was the last time we saw her. Jyotsna is yet to recover from the shock," Shiji said.

On Wednesday afternoon, grief-stricken residents of Edavanakkad and Angamaly gathered to bid farewell to Jasliya.

She was laid to rest at 3 pm at St. Augustine's Church cemetery in Kuzhippilly, leaving behind a community that remembers her not merely as a victim but as a determined daughter, a university-level Kho-Kho player, and a young woman whose final act of generosity saved four lives through organ donation.

A hardworking daughter
Jasliya's life was shaped by her family's struggles and dreams. Her father, Johnson, a tile worker, was trying to complete their house while repaying loans. Determined to ease the burden, Jasliya worked part-time at a Domino's Pizza outlet in Angamaly, about 10 km from her college hostel, balancing studies, sports and work with quiet resolve.

On February 28, around 7.30 pm, she was walking back to her hostel after her shift when a speeding car struck her from behind near Morning Star College, close to the TELK Junction curve on National Highway 544. CCTV footage later showed the impact, flinging her into the air before she crashed onto the road. The driver did not stop. Though rushed to a nearby hospital, she never regained consciousness.

At a public homage at Morning Star College on Wednesday, her Head of Department, Matilda, broke down remembering her.

"She had scored great marks in Plus Two Science. She used to tell me, 'Miss, I need to enrol my mother for a degree next year. She was studious but could not complete her studies after getting married.' She was always concerned about looking after her father and brother," Matilda said.

Pointing to the highway beside the campus, she spoke of the daily risks students face. "Look at the speed that car came and hit Jasliya. When we walk here, we walk looking back because we don't know when a vehicle will come and hit us. Since I joined this college, I have seen our campus walls getting hit by vehicles several times. Now our Jasliya is gone. Don't know who is next," she said.

In Edavanakkad, neighbours remembered Jasliya as cheerful and active in church and community events. Ward member Sheeba Roy said, "She is always joyous and smart. Her parents, after much struggle, constructed a house with bank loans. She was very ambitious and wanted to support them by securing a good job. Her death is a huge loss for all of us."

Despite efforts to save her, Jasliya was declared brain-dead at 6.38 am on March 3 at Rajagiri Hospital. In their grief, her parents, Johnson and Lima, consented to donate her organs.

Coordinated by the state organ donation agency K-SOTTO, her organs saved four lives. Her liver was transplanted at Rajagiri Hospital; her kidneys went to patients at Kottayam Medical College and Amrita Hospital; and her corneas were donated to the Little Flower Eye Bank in Angamaly.

Protests demanding justice
Meanwhile, public anger over the delay in arresting the accused spilt onto the streets on Wednesday, as Jasliya's classmates and friends gathered outside the Angamaly Police Station, demanding transparency and swift action.

Members of the Youth Congress joined the protest, at one point attempting to storm the station, leading to a tense standoff with police.

Protesters alleged the accused was receiving "VVIP treatment" due to his influential background and claimed the probe lacked urgency because Jasliya came from a poor family. They pointed out that four days had passed since the accident without an arrest, even though the vehicle and driver had been identified.

However, the police denied any inaction. "The vehicle that hit the student and sped away has been found. Following a scientific investigation, the vehicle was located in Thuravoor on Monday. The vehicle belongs to George Thomas, a native of Athirampuzha," police said.

Investigation later found the car was allegedly driven by Dr Cyriac, George Thomas's son and a house surgeon at a private medical college in Ernakulam.

"The vehicle was found abandoned and the accused is absconding. He will be arrested soon," a police officer said.

The disclosure that the driver was a doctor, someone entrusted with saving lives, has intensified public outrage, with many questioning how he could allegedly flee without stopping to help.