A 27-year-old man arrested after a multi-vehicle crash that injured 10 people and involved 7 vehicles in Kerala’s Kottayam district told investigators that he had been attempting to take his own life, police said.
Sharonin Philip, a resident of Kuttikkal Puthoor, has been charged with attempted murder following the crash near Kottayam’s Kanjirappally. He was also injured and is undergoing treatment at Kottayam Medical College Hospital. Seven vehicles, including five cars, an autorickshaw and a scooter, were damaged. Traffic was disrupted for nearly an hour.
The incident occurred around 8.15 am on Sunday on National Highway 183.
It also hit a parked scooter and a car waiting to enter the highway. The autorickshaw overturned after being hit from behind. Four-year-old Aavani suffered serious injuries.
Her father Shyamjith, 35, mother Shalini, 30, and nine-year-old brother, Advait, were also injured.
Philip’s car was travelling at high speed when it struck several vehicles, including an autorickshaw carrying a couple and their two children, according to police.
CCTV footage captured a few seconds before the crash proved how fast the vehicle was moving on the road.
The family, from Madukka, was travelling towards Kanjirappally. Philip became trapped inside his car after the collision. Local residents and fire personnel worked together to rescue him. Three of those injured went home after receiving initial treatment.
The other injured persons were Ansari, 65, Sahil, 31, PV Rajan, 65, Revand, 12, Shrevand, 11, and Raju, 71.
Shyamjith said all he could remember was the impact from the rear.
