Police in Keralam's Kollam district arrested a local shopkeeper, Shajahan of Kadathur, and invoked Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) after an elderly homeless man was hit and dragged beneath his car for nearly two kilometres in Karunagappally on Friday night.
Although Shajahan claimed he was unaware the victim was trapped under the vehicle, investigators reviewed CCTV footage showing he continued driving after the collision before leaving the critically injured man by the roadside and fleeing without arranging medical aid.
Local residents rushed the victim to Alappuzha Medical College Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, and police have circulated his photographs on social media to establish his identity.
Culpable Homicide Charge Against Driver Following Death Of Man Dragged By Car In Keralam
Kollam Police arrest Kadathur shopkeeper Shajahan under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita after CCTV footage revealed he dragged an elderly homeless man beneath his car for nearly two kilometres in Karunagappally before abandoning him by the roadside
Police have invoked the charge of culpable homicide against a car driver in connection with the death of a homeless elderly man who was allegedly hit by the vehicle and dragged for nearly two kilometres at Karunagappally here, officials said on Sunday.
The accused, Shajahan, a native of Kadathur here, was arrested on Saturday after police traced the car using CCTV footage from various locations.
According to police, the car hit the elderly man on Friday night.
Despite realising that a person was trapped underneath the vehicle, the driver continued driving for nearly two kilometres before stopping.
The driver allegedly left him by the roadside and fled the scene without arranging medical assistance, police said.
The seriously injured man was taken to Alappuzha Medical College Hospital by residents, where he later died.
Police said the victim was believed to be a homeless person who used to seek alms near the Oachira temple and surrounding areas. However, his identity has not yet been established.
Photographs of the deceased have been circulated through social media platforms to establish his identity, officials said.
Police collected CCTV footage from several locations to trace the vehicle involved in the incident.
The investigation eventually led them to Shajahan, a businessman who runs a shop in the area.
Police, who initially registered a case of accidental death, later invoked Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Shajahan claimed that he was unaware that the man was trapped underneath his car and being dragged, police said.
However, investigators said the driver did not stop the vehicle after hitting the elderly man and continued driving for nearly two kilometres.