The Palarivattom police probing the tragic accident that claimed three lives, including two promising models, have seized the CCTV footage of a premium hotel in Fort Kochi where the victims were reportedly attending a party late into night before the accident.
The accident took place in the early morning hours on November 1 instantly killing Miss South India Ansi Kabeer and Miss Kerala first runner-up 2019 Anjana Shajan. Another victim Mohammed Ashique, an advertisement professional, succumbed to his injuries on Sunday night.
This left only Abdul Rahman as the lone survivor who was arrested by the police on Tuesday evening on the charge of causing the accident in a drunken state. He was charged with IPC 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and Section 185 (driving by a drunken person or by a person under the influence of drugs) of the Motor Vehicles Act. He was produced before the court and remanded.
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“We have seized the footage from No-18, a premium hotel at Fort Kochi. We are examining the footage for more details,” said A. Ananthalal, inspector in charge of the Palarivattom police.
The Excise had suspended the bar licence of the hotel a day after the accident. “It, however, was not in connection with the accident but for an offence for serving liquor beyond the permissible time of 9 p.m. on October 23,” said Anilkumar K.K., Deputy Excise Commissioner, Ernakulam. Though a compoundable offence, it was decided to suspend the licence pending an explanation from the hotel authorities.
The car carrying four passengers were reduced to a rubble after it rammed a tree along the national highway between 1 a.m. and 1.30 a.m.
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