Nedumbassery crash: Manufacturer’s report puts car’s speed at 162 kmph before impact

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The car’s speed had dropped to around 144 kmph at the moment of impact, the report found.

The luxury car that mowed down three youngsters at Nedumbassery last month was travelling at 162 kmph five seconds before the crash, according to a technical examination conducted by the multinational company that manufactured the vehicle.

The finding corroborates the conclusion reached by the investigation team probing the case through an analysis of CCTV footage. Investigators had earlier found that the car covered a distance of nearly 500 metres in just 11 seconds. The report, submitted to the investigation team by the company on Thursday after analysing data retrieved from the Advanced Crash Safety Module, provides scientific backing for the police findings.

The accident occurred on October 11 at around 1.45 a.m. The Nedumbassery police had arrested four 19-year-olds: Suhail Sajeev, who allegedly drove the car under the influence of alcohol, and three co-passengers, Ninav, Ameen Sha and Joyal S. All four accused remain in judicial custody.

According to the report, the car was travelling at 162 kmph five seconds before the collision, while its speed at the moment of impact was around 144 kmph. The crash data analysis further revealed that the brake pedal was applied only about a second before the collision. Police said the scientific confirmation of their findings would serve as crucial evidence in the investigation.

The police had earlier claimed to have obtained visuals showing Mr. Sajeev driving the car at nearly 160 kmph shortly before the accident. The footage was reportedly recorded on a mobile phone by one of the co-passengers.

Meanwhile, the probe is continuing into the circumstances surrounding the crash, including the vehicle’s speed, the driver’s response in the moments leading up to the accident, and the role of the other accused. The investigation is being led by Aluva DySP Baiju Paulose under the supervision of Ernakulam Rural District Police Chief K.S. Sudarshan.

A chemical examination report, according to sources, found that Mr. Sajeev had consumed alcohol at five times the permissible limit for driving. The Excise department has since suspended the licences of three bars for serving liquor to an underage person.

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