Drag racing amid the New Year revelry claimed the lives of two youths near Thiruvallam on Sunday midnight.
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The incident occurred near the Kallummoodu bridge along the National Highway-66 bypass around 12.15 a.m. when a gang of at least five motorcyclists were speeding towards Kovalam after attending a New Year celebration at Kazhakuttam.
The deceased persons, Syedali, 22, of Pachalloor and Shibin, 26, of Jagathy, were initially presumed to have died after their motorcycles brushed against each other. However, the case took an unexpected turn after a video clip recovered from a helmet camera used by a fellow biker indicated that the incident could have happened when the youths raced against each other.
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According to the Thiruvallam police, Syedali is believed to have lost control of his vehicle which rubbed against the divider. While Syedali was thrown off the bike, the two-wheeler went on to hit the wall of the bridge before skidding across the road in great speed. Shibin, who was trailing Syedali, could not prevent his bike from hitting the vehicle that came in his course.
Both motorcyclists sustained serious head injuries and bled profusely before being rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital by a police team. They were confirmed dead in the hospital.
The police have registered a case in connection with the accident.
The NH-66 bypass stretch at Thiruvallam has witnessed numerous accidents in the past few years with many motorcyclists engaging in bike stunts and drag racing. While the police and the Motor Vehicles department have adopted a number of steps to rein in such activities, the area continued to witness many instances of unsafe driving, especially during the late hours.