An 18-year-old driver was taken into custody after allegedly driving a car at high speed for about nine kilometres in Kottayam on Tuesday evening, ramming vehicles, knocking down a scooter rider and brushing against pedestrians before motorists and residents stopped the vehicle near Thengana junction.
According to police, the incident began around 6pm when the car hit another vehicle at Chanjodi on the route from Payippad to Thengana. The driver was identified as Gokul Vinu, a native of Thiruvalla.
At Asharimukku, the car allegedly struck a woman riding a scooter and drove over the two-wheeler, damaging it. Police said the woman was thrown towards the roadside, allowing her to avoid being trapped beneath the car. The vehicle also brushed against pedestrians in the area, according to the report.
The car later hit another vehicle at Poovathumoodu, where one of its tyres burst. Police said it continued along the busy Vazhoor Road on the damaged wheel rim, sending sparks onto the road and forcing other motorists to swerve to avoid it. Several motorists then pursued the vehicle.
The chase ended near Thengana junction when the car lost speed as the wheel plate wore down. Police said the vehicle was moving towards a downslope at Kannavatta when the pursuing motorists blocked it. Residents who gathered at the location attempted to confront the driver, and police faced difficulty while taking him to Changanassery station.
Several people who were hurt in the incident reportedly sought treatment at nearby private hospitals. The report did not provide a confirmed number of injured people or details of the damage caused to each vehicle.
Police suspect that Vinu was under the influence of an intoxicant and sent him for a medical examination. The medical findings and further action in the case were not available in the supplied report. The police investigation is expected to establish the circumstances that led to the high-speed driving and the sequence of collisions along the Payippad-Thengana stretch.
