Youth battling for life as speeding luxury car hits autorickshaw

December 27, 2014 10:01 am | Updated 10:01 am IST - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:

A 29-year-old youth is battling for life at the Government Medical College Hospital here after the autorickshaw he was driving was hit by a speeding luxury car driven by Biljin George, son of Sunny George, private secretary to Chief Whip P.C. George, on Thursday around 11.30 p.m.

Though the police denied that Biljin was under the influence of alcohol, relatives of the autorickshaw driver, quoting eyewitnesses, said he was drunk.

The autorickshaw driver, Shaji, a resident of Manacaud, is at the critical care unit of the MCH after he underwent a major surgery for stomach and leg injuries. Hospital sources said that his condition was ‘highly critical.’ The incident occurred near Sasthamangalam when the BMW car proceeding towards Vellayambalam jumped the median and hit the autorickshaw and a pick-up van before coming to a halt. Hearing the screeching sound of the car, a few people from nearby houses and passersby came to the spot and found the seriously injured Shaji.

‘Those in car drunk’

Shaji’s brother told The Hindu over the phone that besides Biljin, there were two other occupants in the car and they picked up an argument with those assembled at the accident spot before vanishing from the scene. All the occupants were drunk, he said. Circle Inspector, Traffic, North, P. Niyas said that immediately after the accident Biljin was admitted to a private hospital due to chest pain and there was no information that he was drunk at the time of the accident. A case had been registered under section 279 (rash driving), 338 (causing grievous hurt), and 339 (wrongful restraint), he said. “We are closely monitoring the condition of the injured and will proceed with the case accordingly,” he said.

Biljin was involved in a road rage incident at Vazhuthacaud earlier. He had assaulted the chief operating officer of a television channel and abused his wife after a tiff on the road, allegedly in a drunk state. The police had then been criticised for not conducting an alcohol test on the accused.

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