College of Engineering Trivandrum: Killer jeep’s driver surrenders

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Baiju, the seventh semester student of the College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET), who drove the jeep that killed his fellow collegemate Thasni Rasheed during the Onam revelry surrendered on Sunday, three days after the accident.

An inter-state probe was initiated by the city police to arrest Baiju Balakrishnan, 21, and raids were held at his home in Kannur and at Kozhikode, Madurai and Kodaikanal.

On Saturday night, police traced him to Chandanathoppu in Kollam but he evaded arrest and later, post midnight, surrendered before DCP Sanjakumar Gurudin who was camping at Sreekariyam.

As per the statement given by Baiju, he left the accident spot for Kodaikanal on a bike soon after the accident as he was afraid of public wrath.

However, with many of his relatives landing in a soup due to the probe, he surrendered based on the request by his brother.

“Baiju who accepted that he caused the mishap said he was blinded by people who were standing on the jeep blocking his vision. It’s clear that he drove rashly and was negligent. He showed up after two to three days and hence we could not conduct any alcohol test,” DCP Sanjay Kumar Gururdin said.

The police had seized the truck named Chekuthan (Devil) which was part of the convoy of revellers which strayed into the campus without permission.

A green jeep and the brown jeep which was driven by Baiju was held earlier. Police has been focussed on finding the revellers who were travelling in this vehicle.

Meanwhile, a Facebook post by CET lecturer Sajeev Mohan, has raked up a storm as he revealed the caste status of Baiju. Baijju allegedly has over 30 back papers in Mechanical engineering.