‘My dad will handle’: Gifted Mini Cooper for birthday, teen runs over three in Kochi

Three friends who had stepped out for tea were killed when an overspeeding Mini Cooper, being driven by a 19-year-old student, ran over their scooter near the Kochi airport early on Sunday. All the deceased, one man and two women, were 21-year-olds working as part-time salespersons at a showroom near the airport.

The incident sparked much outrage, especially with the accused driver, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, purportedly heard telling eyewitnesses that “his father will handle the issue.’’ The accused, college student Suhail Sajeev, was booked for non-bailable offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita's Section 105) and arrested.

Sajeev's mother runs a prominent design studio and brand in Kochi and Alappuzha. In a Facebook post, she had stated that she was presenting the Mini Cooper to her son as a birthday gift. The video has gone viral after Sunday's incident.

According to Kochi airport police, the deceased were identified as Iyas, a native of Sullia in Karnataka, Devika from Wayanad, and Gopika of Palakkad. Police said the trio was returning after a tea break with Iyas riding the scooter and the two women as pillion passengers.

All three were also students at a college in Thrikkakara. Police said they were thrown off the scooter after the car hit it from behind. Police said Sajeev has a history of overspeeding, including an incident in which he was recorded driving at 218 kmph and trying to escape after brandishing his businessman father’s “influence”.

At the time of the accident on Sunday, he was allegedly driving the car at a speed of 125 km per hour. Local rescuers told police that Sajeev asked them: “This is airport road, what is wrong with overspeeding?” He said, “My father will handle the case.’’ The first responders overpowered him and handed him over to the police, which later confirmed that Sajeev was under the influence of alcohol.

After paying tributes to the three deceased youths, Congress's Thrikkakara MLA Uma Thomas said stringent action should be taken against the accused. “I will ensure justice to the families of the deceased.” After the accused told police he had consumed alcohol from three liquor bars on Saturday night, state excise minister M Liju ordered registration of a case against the establishments concerned since the minimum age for purchasing liquor is 23 in the state.

Sajeev had shared several reels on Instagram sharing his affinity for high-speed driving. In a number of these instances, he was allegedly speeding above 200 km per hour. Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala.

With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment.

Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration.

Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response.

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