The Kerala Police have recorded the arrest of IAS officer and Survey Director Sriram Venkitaraman at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram after the car driven by him rammed a bike, killing a journalist near Museum junction in Kerala's capital city.
K.M. Basheer, 35, the Thiruvananthapuram bureau chief of Siraaj daily, is the deceased. Though police took Basheer to the Medical College hospital immediately after the accident at 1:35am, he could not be saved.
Venkitaraman, who was also injured in the accident, was undergoing treatment in a private hospital. Unconfirmed reports said he may be shifted to the Medical College Hospital. As per TV reports, Venkitaraman is being booked with non-bailable offences.
Earlier in the day, City Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Gurudin had confirmed that the IAS officer was behind the wheel at the time of the tragic accident in the wee hours of Saturday. Venkitaraman had initially said his woman friend Wafa Firoz, who was also in the car, was driving. The confirmation came after the verification of CCTV visuals obtained from the area. Wafa also testified to this, the commissioner said. He added that the Volkswagen car is registered in the name of Wafa.
Eyewitnesses quoted by TV channels said the car was over-speeding when the accident occurred near Museum police station and that a man was on the wheel.
Basheer, who started his career as a local reporter of Siraaj, had also worked as the paper's Malappuram staff reporter. He is survived by his wife Jaseela and two daughters.
Kerala Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran has assured that the license of the person who drove the car will be cancelled with immediate effect. The government was committed to provide a flawless investigation in the case, he said.
After preliminary investigation, the joint transport commissioner has confirmed that the cause of the accident was over-speeding. The car has been fined for over-speeding in the past.
Venkitaraman had returned after a party and was under the influence of alcohol, according to Wafa's reported confession before a magistrate. She also said Venkitaraman was driving the vehicle from Kowdiar onwards.
The doctor who examined Venkitaraman said an alcoholic odour emanated from him during the time of examination. However, no blood sample was taken at the time as the police hadn't requested the same. Only a physical examination was conducted.
"Legal formalities have to be followed. Law says you cannot compel someone to give samples... we have to follow some legal formalities to take blood samples," Gurudin said.
The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) has demanded a proper and truthful investigation in the case.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and Devaswom Minister Kadakkampally Surendran were among those who expressed grief at the death of the journalist.
Venkitaraman, who was back from a study leave, was appointed Survey and Land Records director recently. He had secured the second rank in the Civil Service Examination in 2013.
Basheer, popularly known as 'KMB' among media circles, was on his way home from the Thiruvananthapuram railway station, after a circulation meeting in Kollam.