Hyderabad: Abettor arrested in drunken drive mishap

HYDERABAD: Five days after a major road accident at Manchal where five persons died in a road accident, Rachakonda police arrested a person for abetting his drunken friend to drive the car. The prime accused who drove the car is yet to be arrested as he is undergoing treatment in hospital.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Administration) Prakash Reddy, who is presently the incharge for LB Nagar Zone, during a press conference said that on the day of accident it was Koteshwar Reddy who was on the wheel in a drunken condition with 35 mg/100 ml Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) while the abettor B Praveen Kumar Reddy, who was sitting next to Koteshwar his BAC was 274 mg/100 ml.
Praveen was booked as abettor since on the day of mishap he instigated Koteshwar Reddy to drive the car despite being drunk. ``There were four members inside the car. It was Sai, who was one among four person, was not drunk. But Praveen in a drunken condition insisted that Sai should not drive the car and demanded that the drunken Koteshwar Reddy should drive. Accordingly, Koteshwar replaced Sai, who sat on the rear seat,’’ Prakash Reddy said.
During the press conference police released photos and video footage of Koteshwar driving the car. Prior to mishap, the accused went to a marriage baraat, consumed alcohol and it was while returning the Koteshwar end up hitting an auto rickshaw, in which Mamatha, C Sujatha, Amboth Maaru, Amboth Hasli, D Srinivas died while six others got injured.
The accused were identified based on the CCTV footage, seized car, eye witness, forensic expert report. ``When Koteshwar was driving, Praveen was constantly disturbing the driver. We booked Praveen as abettor since in a similar infamous mishap at Chennai involving Porsche car the friend who promoted another person to drive in drunken condition, was also booked,’’ Prakash Reddy said.
Koteshwar is undergoing treatment in hospital for leg fracture and other injuries. He is a fourth year Engineer student and his father is a Rythu Samanvaya Samithi member. The other two persons Sai and Raghavendra Reddy, are not made accused. Raghavendar Reddy who was sleeping inside the car since 11 pm was not aware about the change of driver and other developments untill the accident took place.