Probe finds Parassala SHO responsible for fatal hit-and-run

A probe by the Thiruvananthapuram Rural police has revealed that a car that fatally knocked down a 59-year-old man at Kilimanoor on September 7 was driven by the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Parassala police station.

Investigations confirmed that the vehicle belonged to Parassala SHO P. Anil Kumar, official sources said.

The District Police Chief (Thiruvananthapuram Rural) has recommended the officer’s suspension in a report submitted to the Inspector General of Police, South Zone.

The victim, Rajan of Chennikuzhy, near Kilimanoor, died after being hit by the car during the early hours of September 7. He was left bleeding on the road for a long time after the accident. Passersby had found Rajan lying on the highway near the Kilimanoor police station.

CCTV footage

A preliminary inquiry based on CCTV footage identified the vehicle that hit the pedestrian. Mr. Kumar subsequently confessed to the crime. He, however, claimed that the pedestrian had gotten up and walked away after the mishap. While the probe does not endorse the claim, it flags the officer’s failure to adhere to proper procedure after the accident. The SHO did not stop to assist the injured person or report the incident immediately.

The investigation further found that the car was later taken to a private workshop for repairs in a suspected attempt to destroy evidence. The officer was also found to have left the Parassala station jurisdiction without necessary clearance from his superiors on the day of the incident.