Kochi: CCTV footage has emerged showing the 17-year-old boy involved in the fatal Cheranalloor accident taking a Mercedes-Benz car out of a flat at Companypady in Aluva in the early hours of Sunday. The footage shows the teenager leaving the apartment complex with the car at 1.36 am amid heavy rain.

The boy’s father, a judge, told investigators that he had sent his son a message saying he would wake up only in the evening on Sunday before going to sleep. He said he was unaware that his son had taken the car out.

However, the investigation team has found several inconsistencies in the teenager’s statements.

Teen says he learnt driving from YouTube

The 17-year-old told investigators that he took the Mercedes out because he wanted to drive and had learnt how to operate a car by watching YouTube videos. The police have not accepted this explanation.

Investigators found evidence on the teenager’s Instagram account suggesting that he had driven vehicles before. They also found that the posts and other material indicating his previous driving experience had been deleted from the account shortly after the accident.

The teenager had also recorded videos on his phone while driving the car. The footages shows the vehicle travelling at a speed of around 104 kmph.
Also read | Kochi Mercedes Benz crash: Not first time 17-year-old son of Kerala judge drove? SIT to probe

Judge also named in case

The Mercedes-Benz was a 2012 model that the judge purchased in 2022. The car was reportedly used for official purposes, including travel to court.

The judge, who owns the vehicle, has also been named as an accused under provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act for allowing his minor son to drive the car.
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How the fatal accident occurred

The accident took place in Cheranalloor between 2.15 am and 2.30 am on Sunday. Jayapalakrishnan, a scooter rider returning home after finishing work at a roadside eatery, was killed in the crash.

The speeding car allegedly hit the scooter from behind. The impact left the scooter completely wrecked and threw Jayapalakrishnan onto the road.

Rice and other items being carried on the scooter were scattered several metres away by the force of the collision.