Journalist's death: IAS officer Sriram was drunk, witness tells SIT

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the accident that claimed the life of journalist

KM Basheer

recorded the statement of a witness of the accident, Joby George of Sasthamangalam, on Saturday. According to sources, George told SIT that it was

Sriram

Venkitaraman, IAS officer, who was driving the car that caused the accident and he appeared to be in an inebriated condition.


The SIT had earlier recorded the statements of Sriram, his co-passenger Wafa Firoze, Dr Rakesh Kumar of the General Hospital and sub-inspector Jayaprakash and inspector G Sunil of the Museum police station. Three other witnesses are yet to turn up before the SIT due to ‘personal inconveniences’.

The SIT may soon reach out to Volkswagen, the manufacturer of the car, seeking their assistance in recovering crucial evidence from the vehicle. The Volkswagen Vento which Sriram was driving is said to have a device called event data recorder (EDR) which is similar to an aeroplane’s black box. The EDR activates itself when the brakes are applied suddenly, or the vehicle swerves off the road or collides with something.