Kozhikode: The Vellayil police on Wednesday arrested Sabith Kallingal, a resident of Manjeri, in connection with the death of 20-year-old TK Alwin during a promotional video shoot for a private company on the Beach Road in Kozhikode. Sabith has been charged under Sections 281 (rash driving) and 106 (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The incident occurred around 7.30 am on Tuesday when Sabith was driving a Mercedes-Benz G-Class with a Telangana registration. He is a partner at 999 Automotive, the company that hired Alwin for the video shoot. Alwin succumbed to his injuries later that day at a private hospital in Kozhikode.

Inspector Baiju K Jose of Vellayil Station revealed that Sabith and 999 Automotive initially attempted to mislead authorities by claiming that another vehicle, a Land Rover Defender driven by Rayees, was responsible for the accident. This, they alleged, was to hide the fact that the Mercedes lacked insurance coverage. However, police investigations, including an analysis of Alwin's video footage and CCTV recordings, confirmed that the Mercedes was involved.

Regional Transport Officer Nazeer told Onmanorama that the driver’s licences of Sabith and Rayees would be suspended. The Motor Vehicles Department also registered cases against both drivers for car racing, dangerous driving, and using covered registration plates. The Mercedes-Benz owner was booked for failing to maintain insurance coverage for the vehicle.

Alwin, a native of Vadakara employed in the UAE, had returned home just a week before the incident. Following an autopsy at the Government Medical College in Kozhikode, his body was handed over to his family.

This tragic incident has sparked public outrage over the reckless use of vehicles for promotional activities, with calls for stricter enforcement of traffic and safety regulations.