Teen driver in Mercedes crashes into scooter, killing street vendor in Kochi

In the early hours of Sunday, a 17-year-old driving a Mercedes-Benz collided with a scooter in the Cheranalloor area of Kochi, killing 55-year-old street food vendor Jayabalakrishnan, who had just finished his shift. His niece, Jayalakshmi, said he rode slowly and was thrown several hundred metres, dying instantly from severe injuries. Police registered a case for causing death by a rash or negligent act and collected the teen’s blood samples, which showed no intoxication.

The minor is alleged to be the son of an additional district judge, and authorities will consult the Juvenile Justice Board before deciding on non-bailable sections. This incident follows a similar fatal scooter crash involving a young driver near Cochin International Airport two weeks earlier.