Kochi Mini Cooper crash: Driver’s mother appeals for privacy, extends condolences to victims’ families

A week after a 19-year-old rammed a Mini Cooper into a scooter, killing three people near Kochi, his mother appealed to the public to give her family some privacy as they navigate the aftermath of the horrific crash.

Nooha Sajeev, who runs apparel stores in Kochi and Alappuzha under the brand ‘Iha Designs’, is the mother of Suhail Sajeev, who was arrested on October 11 in connection with the car accident that claimed three lives. In a video posted on Facebook, Nooha expressed her condolences to the families of the three victims.

"We have lost three valuable lives. I convey my condolences to their families. I can understand the pain they must be feeling. We raise our children with a lot of hopes and dreams, and when they suddenly leave us, it is unthinkable. My words can never compensate for their grief," Nooha said in the video.

Also Read | Mini Cooper driver who killed 3 in Kochi car crash had 5 times legal blood alcohol limit, say police

She said that the investigation must proceed in the right direction and that only truth must prevail. Nooha also requested the public to desist from spreading half-truths and give her family some privacy.

"This issue is being discussed a lot on social media. Many people are angry at us. But I want to appeal for privacy for me and my family. There are a lot of half-truths going around. Please understand that I am also a woman and a mother hailing from an ordinary family. I am concerned about my son's future just as I am deeply sad about the three people who lost their lives," she said.

The 19-year-old’s mother said she felt utterly “helpless” and had been unable to even sit up over the past few days.

"Please remember that I have a family of four. We also have lives to go about," she said.

This is the first time Nooha Sajeev has spoken publicly about the fallout of the October 11 car crash that led to her younger son, Suhail, being jailed. Nooha had gifted him the Mini Cooper on his birthday this year and shared the moment on Facebook. She had said then that both her sons were car enthusiasts and that she was “happy” to gift the luxury car to her younger son.

Around 1:45 am on October 11, Suhail’s Mini Cooper rammed into the rear of a scooter on the road leading to Cochin International Airport near Nedumbassery. Devika, Gopika and Iyas, all in their early 20s, were riding the scooter at the time. They worked at a crafts retail shop and succumbed to their injuries.

Suhail was charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, while three of his friends, who were in the car at the time of the accident, were booked for abetment.

Police found that Suhail and his friends were heavily intoxicated at the time of the crash. Suhail’s blood alcohol concentration was found to be five times the legal limit for driving in India.