Kasaragod: A Kasaragod court on Tuesday, March 26, sentenced an NRI to four years of rigorous imprisonment for a car accident that killed two persons and seriously injured five others seven years ago.

Kasaragod Additional Sessions Court (I) Judge A Manoj found Shamsudeen M V (51) of Pallikkara guilty of culpable homicide by rash driving and causing grievous hurt.

Shamsudeen was sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 under Section 304 (ii) of the Indian Penal Code for rash driving with the knowledge that it was likely to cause death but without the intention to cause death, said Additional Government Pleader Lohithakshan Edayillam.

He was also sentenced to three months of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500 for causing hurt under Section 337 of IPC, and one year of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 for causing grievous hurt by negligent driving under Section 338 of IPC. The sentences would run concurrently and so he would have to serve three years of rigorous imprisonment, said the government pleader.

The accident happened at Chettukundu on the Kanhangad-Kasaragod coastal highway on February 1, 2017.

Shamsudeen drove a speeding Ritz hatchback into a group of people boarding a KSRTC bus to Kasaragod at Chettukundu. The car then veered back onto the road and hit a motorcyclist coming from the opposite direction and going towards Kanhangad.

Kunjayisha (65), wife of Abdul Khader of Chettukundu Kadappuram, and Mohanan, who were waiting at the bus shelter were killed in the accident. Shamsad (40) and Achhali (40), Baby, and Balakrishnan were injured and underwent treatment at a hospital in Mangaluru. Shajahan, the motorcyclist, was treated at the District Hospital in Kanhangad.

The case was registered by Bekal Police and investigated by Station House Officer - Inspector V K Vishwambharan.Judge Manoj ordered that Shamsudeen should serve time in Kannur Central Prison.