Angamaly hit-and-run case: Special team formed to arrest accused doctor; cops to issue lookout notice
Dr Cyriac, a house surgeon at a private medical college, was on his way back from an event held at a convention centre in Angamaly, when his SUV struck Jasliya near her college.
Dr Cyriac, a house surgeon at a private medical college, was on his way back from an event held at a convention centre in Angamaly, when his SUV struck Jasliya near her college.
Dr Cyriac, a house surgeon at a private medical college, was on his way back from an event held at a convention centre in Angamaly, when his SUV struck Jasliya near her college.
Kochi: Amid protests alleging police inaction and delay in the investigation into the tragic hit-and-run death of 19-year-old student Jasliya Johnson in Angamaly, Ernakulam Rural police have formed a special team to arrest the absconding accused, Dr Cyriac P George, who was driving the SUV at the time of the accident. The police have also initiated moves to issue a lookout notice for Cyriac.
The move comes as the accused continues to evade arrest for the fifth consecutive day following the fatal accident on the National Highway on February 28, around 7.30 pm.
KS Sudarshan, District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural), said that a special team headed by Aluva DySP will launch a hunt for the accused. He denied allegations of police inaction and said they are doing everything possible to arrest the accused.
“Reports of police inaction are baseless. We are putting in all efforts to arrest the accused. We have booked him for culpable homicide, and the vehicle has been recovered. On Wednesday, a team went to Idukki and Elappara based on a tip we received. The accused’s relatives were there, but we could not find the accused. A special team has been formed, and we will issue a lookout notice for him,” Sudarshan said.
Police conducted a raid at Cyriac’s residence in Athirampuzha yesterday, but the accused was not found. Sources said that in order to prevent the accused from fleeing the country, the lookout notice will be extended to all major airports and transit hubs.
Dr Cyriac, a house surgeon at a private medical college, was on his way back from an event held at a convention centre in Angamaly, when his SUV struck Jasliya near her college. Despite the vehicle being recovered and the driver identified, his current whereabouts remain unknown.
While the area of the accident is well-equipped with CCTV cameras, authorities have faced criticism for the time taken to officially confirm the driver’s identity. A central point of contention remains how the accused has managed to remain in hiding for five days despite being a known individual with an identified vehicle.
The delay in apprehending the doctor has sparked a wave of fury among Jasliya’s family, classmates, and student political outfits, who raised allegations of an inefficient investigation and potential police bias.