Cheranalloor car crash: ADGP pledges prompt action on ‘genuine demands’ of victim’s family based on probe

The genuine demands raised by the family of Jayabalakrishnan, the 55-year-old who was fatally knocked down by a luxury car allegedly driven by the 17-year-old son of an additional judge, will be accorded priority and acted upon without undue delay based on the findings of a comprehensive probe, ADGP P. Vijayan said on Tuesday.

Talking to mediapersons after visiting the victim’s family at their residence in Cheranalloor, Mr. Vijayan said a team that accompanied him from Thiruvananthapuram, comprising an AIG and Circle Inspectors, would conduct a detailed inquiry. The probe would include an examination of CCTV footage to verify allegations that officials at the Cheranalloor police station had misbehaved with the family.

“The family has shared their genuine demands, which will be prioritised. Based on these demands, records will be examined and evidence collected. We have to ensure that everything is done in a proper manner so that a strong case is presented in court and the family’s interests are not jeopardised,” Mr. Vijayan said.

A banner seeking justice for Jayabalakrishnan greeted the senior police officer upon his arrival at the family’s residence.

Mr. Vijayan said the police had already moved the court seeking the revocation of the accused teenager’s bail.

Responding to queries regarding the arrest of the additional judge, one of the key demands raised by the family, he said the issue involved multiple legal formalities, including obtaining the requisite permission from the judiciary. The relevant rules governing such action would also be examined, he added.

The development comes a day after the victim’s daughter and son called off their hours-long sit-in protest in front of the Cheranalloor police station. The protest was withdrawn only after Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala assured them of action. The family had earlier given the government time till 4 p.m. on Tuesday to address their concerns.

Among the demands raised by the family are the arrest of the father-son duo and the suspension of the additional judge from service. The Cheranalloor police have come in for criticism over allegations that officers were rude to the family and attempted to hush up the case.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Vijayan held an almost two-hour-long meeting at the police station with senior officers of the Kochi City police, including District Police Chief (Kochi City) S. Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar. He had rejected suggestions that the involvement of a judicial officer could influence the investigation, asserting that the law would take its course irrespective of whether the persons involved were judges or police officers.

The ADGP subsequently visited the accident site near a car showroom at Maraparambu on Container Road in Cheranalloor and spoke to the showroom watchman as part of the inquiry.

Jayabalakrishnan, a native of Chittur in Cheranalloor, was allegedly mowed down by the speeding car driven by the accused teenager. According to the FIR, the boy was travelling alone from Vallarpadam towards Kalamassery when the vehicle rammed the scooter being ridden by the victim in the same direction.

Steps on to suspend car RC

Meanwhile, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has initiated steps to suspend the registration certificate (RC) of the vehicle involved in the accident and bar the teenager from applying for a driving licence until he turns 25.

“We will feed the boy’s Aadhaar number into the Parivahan portal so that he will be blocked at the stage of applying for a learner’s licence itself. The registered owner of the vehicle will also have to pay a fine. We have deployed two Motor Vehicle Inspectors to inspect the vehicle. All these measures will be taken based on the police report,” MVD sources said.