Nedumbassery Crash: Victim Gopika’s Father Alleges Attempt to Sabotage Case Against Suhail

Kochi: The family of Gopika, one of the three people killed when a Mini Cooper driven at high speed by a 19-year-old crashed into their scooter in Nedumbassery, Ernakulam, has alleged an attempt to sabotage the case and shield the accused, Suhail Sajeev.

Pradeep Kumar, Gopika’s father, said moves were underway to help Suhail escape the case. He also alleged that some people had been targeting the family with abusive comments on social media following his daughter’s death. While speaking at a press conference, he expressed doubts about whether Gopika would get justice .

“Suhail committed a serious crime, yet he was sent to a borstal school. This has been done to sabotage the case. We are doubtful whether we will get justice. There have been several lapses on the part of the police. We understand that the FIR states that Suhail was not intoxicated at the time of the accident," he said.

“He drove at high speed under the influence of alcohol, caused an accident and killed three people. We do not understand why he has been sent to a borstal school. When we reached the Nedumbassery police station after learning about the accident, Suhail was in an intoxicated state. The sub-inspector himself told us this," the father added.

“The police say they are facing pressure from their superiors. Suhail’s claim that his father would take care of everything, whatever happened, also suggests that he has influence. All these factors are preventing us from getting justice. False and highly abusive claims about my daughter and our family are circulating on social media. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala must intervene effectively. We want justice,” Pradeep Kumar said.

Gopika’s family also alleged that the accused’s father, who is from Alappuzha and is a major businessman, may have used his influence over ministers.

Police had earlier stated that Suhail, the first accused in the case, was heavily intoxicated when he drove the car. He reportedly began drinking on Saturday afternoon and visited three bars before the accident. During evidence collection, he reportedly said he had been driving at 120 kmph while under the influence of alcohol. However, this speed has not been confirmed, and investigators suspect the car may have been travelling even faster.

Suhail told the police that the brakes had failed and that he had not seen the scooter. However, the police have not fully accepted his statements. The other three people arrested in the case also admitted to the police that the Mini Cooper was travelling at high speed.

The accident occurred around 1.45 am on Sunday on VIP Road near Athani in the Valaeppuram area of Nedumbassery.

The deceased were Devika, also known as Kuku (21), Gopika (22), and Iyas (21). They were travelling on a scooter when the car hit them.

Suhail is the son of Sajeev Jamal and Nuha Sajeev, who run a clothing store and an online clothing business under the name Eha Designs. He has been charged with culpable homicide.