Two arrested for ramming car into cop in Kochi

Kochi: City police on Thursday arrested two men in connection with an incident in Kochi which a car driver rammed his vehicle into a police officer in an attempt to evade inspection. The accused have been identified as Shamnad (23) and Irshad (27), both natives of Kollam. They were taken into custody by noon on Thursday in Kollam after police combed through CCTV footage along the route they used to escape. The incident occurred around 2.30am on Wednesday on Sastha Road in Kaloor.According to police, three officers were on inspection duty when they noticed a car entering the junction from a pocket road. Two policemen approached the vehicle from the right side, while assistant sub-inspector N P Santhosh stood on the opposite side of the road. The vehicle initially slowed down, following which Santhosh and another officer moved in front of it. However, the driver suddenly steered the car towards Santhosh, hitting him and throwing him onto the bonnet. He was then flung to the right side of the road even as a two-wheeler passed by. The officer had a narrow escape as he fell onto the road seconds after the two-wheeler went past. "The officer sustained injuries to his thigh muscles and elbow. Had he fallen in front of the bike, the injuries could have been more serious," a police officer said. The car did not stop and was driven away from the spot. Police said the accused claimed they were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident, which led to their reckless behaviour and failure to stop for inspection. Further investigations are underway to determine whether they are involved in any other criminal cases.Preliminary inquiry revealed that Shamnad was driving the car, while Irshad was on the front passenger seat. The vehicle is registered in the name of Sakkeer Hussain, a native of Kollam and an acquaintance of the accused, who was not present in the car at the time. Police said the accused had come to Kochi on a casual trip.