Nedumbassery car crash
Palakkad : The family of Gopika (21), who was killed with her friends after a speeding hatchback rammed their scooter near Nedumbassery on Sunday, raised concerns over the investigation, alleging attempts to protect the accused and sought a fair probe. Kumar questioned the decision to produce the accused, Suhail Sajeev (19), before a juvenile court.
He said the youth should have been produced before a regular court and remanded in custody. Kumar said political influence should not be used to protect the youth, who hails from the district represented by the home and excise ministers. He should not be given concessions by treating him as a minor. The FIR registered against the youth did not mention that he was inebriated at the time of the accident, he added. He demanded that the CCTV footage of the accident and the hard disk containing the recordings be produced in court. Her uncle questioned whether the accused’s family’s financial influence could interfere with the investigation and asked the CM, the home minister and the state police chief to ensure a fair probe. The family alleged that a deliberate campaign was underway on social media to portray the three victims in a bad light and whitewash Suhail. Kumar alleged that money was being spent to circulate such content and those responsible for such campaigns should be identified and the content withdrawn.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, her father, M R Pradeep Kumar and paternal uncle M R Anilkumar, a retired professor, questioned several aspects of the probe and demanded accountability.
He said the family was initially told around 1.30am that the autopsy would be completed and the body handed over to them.
He said the circumstances raised suspicions and sought clarity over the procedure. Kumar said Gopika had informed the family before going out with her friends. Kumar said Gopika had been active in social work and worked with NSS during her college years. The family said she had worked hard to pursue higher education without adding to their financial burden.
Later they found that blood samples were collected from her body. Family objects to K P Sasikala’s remarks