A 19-year-old’s speeding Mini Cooper hit a scooter from behind near Kochi airport in Kerala at 1:45 am on October 11, killing all three riders — Devika, 21, Gopika, 22, and Iyas, 21. Police say the driver had visited three bars in Kochi before the crash, in a state where the legal drinking age is 23.
Updated: October 13, 2026, 10:25 IST
Quick Read
- A speeding Mini Cooper driven by Suhail Sajeev, 19, hit a scooter from behind on the airport road in Nedumbassery near Kochi at 1:45 am on October 11. The car reportedly dragged the scooter for nearly 100 metres.
- Devika (21) of Wayanad, Gopika (22) of Palakkad, and Iyas (21) of Karnataka worked at a Thrikkakara craft shop and were returning from a tea break. All three died.
- Suhail faces culpable homicide (BNS Section 105). Police say he was prima facie drunk, but blood-test reports are awaited. Three co-passengers are also in custody.
What happened on the airport road
The crash took place early Sunday on the road leading to Cochin International Airport near Nedumbassery in Ernakulam district, at around 1:45 am. According to the police FIR, the black Mini Cooper, allegedly driven by Suhail Sajeev, hit the scooter from behind. The impact threw the three riders onto the road, and the car reportedly dragged the scooter for nearly 100 metres before stopping.
Two of the riders died at the scene. The third was rushed to hospital but could not be saved, NDTV reported. Police suspect the car was travelling at more than 120 kmph, based on witness accounts. An old Instagram video of the accused’s car showing a speedometer reading of 220 kmph has also gone viral — police have not yet said whether it will form part of the evidence, The Times of India reported.
The three who died
The victims were Devika, 21, from Wayanad; Gopika, 22, from Palakkad; and Iyas, 21, from Karnataka. A note on names: The Times of India and The Indian Express report the man’s name as Iyas, a native of Sullia/Coorg; NDTV and Hindustan Times report it as Ijaz of Dakshina Kannada.
They worked at a craft shop in Thrikkakara, according to TOI and Mathrubhumi, and were also college students in Thrikkakara, according to The Indian Express. They had stepped out for tea near the airport and were heading back when the car hit them.
The driver and the case against him
Suhail Sajeev, a 19-year-old college student, was caught by locals at the spot and handed over to the Nedumbassery police. He has been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder — Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — and arrested. A court remanded him to 14 days in judicial custody at the state’s borstal school, The Indian Express reported.
“Prima facie, the accused was drunk at the time,” Ernakulam Rural SP K.S. Sudarshan told reporters, adding that blood and urine samples had been collected. That finding is preliminary — the forensic reports are still awaited.
Three others who were in the car are also in custody. Co-passenger Ninav, 19, was arrested first. On Monday, police picked up Ameer and Joyal from Alappuzha — the two had fled the scene — and charged them with abetting, Oneindia and The Indian Express reported.
Three bars under the scanner
Hindustan Times reported that Suhail and his friends had visited at least three bars in Kochi on October 10 and consumed alcohol before heading to the airport. The car was speeding at about 120 km/hr at the time of the crash, officials found.
The bar visits matter legally: the legal drinking age in Kerala is 23 — higher than in most other Indian states. Serving alcohol to a 19-year-old is illegal there. The Excise Department has started an inquiry against the three bars, and Excise Minister M. Liju has ordered action, NDTV reported.
The remarks that sparked outrage
After the crash, reported remarks by the accused drew anger. NDTV, citing the police, reported that Suhail showed little remorse and asked, “What are roads meant for? Driving, right?” An eyewitness told news agency ANI that he also said his father would take care of the matter, The Times of India reported. These are reported remarks, not court-established facts — but they explain the public anger.
An old video has also resurfaced showing the teenager’s mother describing how she bought him the Mini Cooper as a birthday gift. The mother runs a design studio and brand in Kochi and Alappuzha, The Indian Express reported.
What happens next
The forensic reports on Suhail’s blood and urine samples are awaited, and police have said further charges may be added depending on evidence. The family of one of the victims has demanded that murder charges be invoked against the driver, Hindustan Times reported — a decision that now sits with the police and the courts.
Three young lives ended on a highway at 1:45 am; the accused is in 14-day custody; and the questions of how drunk he was, how fast he drove, and who served him are still with the investigation.
FAQs
What is Suhail Sajeev charged with?
He has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), a non-bailable offence, and arrested. A court remanded him to 14 days in judicial custody at a borstal school.
Was the driver drunk?
Police said he was prima facie drunk, based on preliminary findings, and sent blood and urine samples for forensic analysis. The lab reports are awaited — intoxication is not confirmed until they arrive. Three Kochi bars that allegedly served him alcohol are under an Excise Department probe; Kerala’s legal drinking age is 23.
Who else was arrested in the case?
Three co-passengers are in custody: Ninav, 19, arrested first, and Ameer and Joyal, who allegedly fled the scene and were nabbed from Alappuzha on Monday on abetment charges.
