Absconding doctor taken into custody in Angamaly ‘hit-and-run’ case in Kerala

A young doctor has been taken into custody by the police in an alleged ‘hit-and-run’ case in which a 19-year-old college student, Jasliya Johnson, was killed in Angamaly, Ernakulam, Kerala.

Cyriac George, a native of Athirampuzha in Kottayam, was detained on Friday from a resort at Wagamon where he was allegedly hiding following the fatal accident on February 28.

“The accused was taken into custody following information received by the Wagamon police. He will be handed over to the Angamaly police and produced before the court following due arrest procedures,” said District police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) K.S. Sudarshan.

Father arrested

Earlier in the day, the Angamaly police arrested the father of the prime accused for allegedly helping his son evade the police. George Mathew, a businessman, was charged under Section 249 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for “harbouring an offender”.

The arrest of Mr. Mathew and the subsequent detention of Dr. George follows mounting public pressure and protests.

On Wednesday, the students of Morning Star College, Angamaly, as well as youth wings of major political parties had staged a protest in front of the Angamaly police station demanding speedy arrest of the accused.

The police had on Thursday issued a lookout notice against Dr. George.

A native of Edavanakkad, Vypeen, Ernakulam, Ms. Johnson was a second-year B.Com student at Morning Star College. She met with the accident at TELK Junction in Angamaly on February 28 while returning from her part-time work.

Though she was rushed to a private hospital in Angamaly and later shifted to another hospital for specialised treatment, she succumbed to injuries on March 3.