StatesKerala
Scooter rider killed in Kochi after car driven by judge's 17-year-old son hits him
Jayabalakrishnan, 55, died when the luxury car, registered in the name of an Additional District Judge, struck his scooter from behind at Cheranalloor early on Sunday.
Key points
- Jayabalakrishnan, 55, a native of Manjali, was killed at Cheranalloor.
- The car was being driven by a 17-year-old, the son of an Additional District Judge.
- Police say the teenager was not under the influence of alcohol; blood samples have been sent for tests.
A 55-year-old man was killed in Kochi early on Sunday when a luxury car driven by a 17-year-old boy rammed his scooter from behind at Cheranalloor, police said.
The dead man, Jayabalakrishnan, was a native of Manjali. The teenager at the wheel is the son of an Additional District Judge, and the car is registered in the judge’s name. Police took the boy into custody and registered a case of reckless driving and causing death by negligence.
Blood samples sent for tests
Initial checks found that the teenager had not been drinking, police said. His blood samples have been collected and sent for further analysis.
The car struck the rear of Jayabalakrishnan’s scooter, and he died of his injuries. Police have not said how fast the car was travelling or where the boy was heading.
What the law says
Because the driver is a minor, the case will be dealt with under the juvenile justice system. Under Section 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act, added in 2019, the guardian or owner of a vehicle driven by a juvenile can also be held responsible for an offence, though police have not said whether any action will be taken against the car’s registered owner.
The same section allows the vehicle’s registration to be cancelled for a year and bars the juvenile from getting a licence until the age of 25. Police have not said what they will do next in this case beyond waiting for the results of the blood tests.