Daijiworld Media Network - Kochi

Kochi, Oct 25: A 55-year-old street food vendor was killed after a Mercedes-Benz allegedly driven by a 17-year-old rammed into his scooter in Cheranalloor in the early hours of Sunday, police said.

The victim, identified as Jayabalakrishnan, ran a street food cart in the Chittoor neighbourhood of Kochi. According to his family, he was returning home around 2.30 am after closing his cart when the luxury car hit his scooter from behind.

Jayalakshmi, the victim’s niece, said her uncle always rode his scooter at a slow speed and had no reason to drive recklessly.

She said the impact threw him several hundred metres away and left him with severe injuries. He died at the scene, she added.

The family alleged that the minor driver was the son of an additional district judge.

Cheranalloor Circle Inspector Shyam Kumar said police had registered a case against the minor for causing death by a rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide.

The accused has undergone a medical examination, and his blood samples have been collected for testing. The officer said preliminary findings did not indicate that the teenager was intoxicated at the time of the accident. He was alone in the car, police said.

Kumar said further investigation would determine whether culpable homicide charges could be added. Police would consult the Juvenile Justice Board before invoking non-bailable sections, he added.

The incident comes about two weeks after a Mini Cooper allegedly driven by an intoxicated 19-year-old crashed into a scooter near Cochin International Airport, killing three people. The driver and three others who were in the car were arrested and charged in connection with that incident.