Kottayam: An 18-year-old youth was arrested after the rented car he was driving continued at speed on a burst front tyre, throwing sparks and crashing into more than a dozen vehicles in Kerala's Kottayam district on Tuesday evening, police said, The Hindu reported. The accused, Gokul, lives near Thiruvalla railway station and had hired the car from Thiruvalla; he was heading towards Changanassery when the series of crashes began.

Source: The Hindu via TechWordNews

The car first hit a scooter ridden by Nanditha, 21, at Mundukotta in Paippad. She was returning home after work at a private hospital in Thiruvalla. She sustained serious injuries to her hands and legs and was admitted to a private hospital in Thiruvalla, police said.

The driver did not stop. The car continued speeding through Thrikodithanam towards Thengana and, at Kannott, crashed into six other vehicles. By then one of the car's front tyres had burst, but the vehicle kept going with sparks flying as the damaged wheel scraped the road. More than a dozen vehicles were damaged in the series of accidents, and the incident caused a major traffic jam in the area for a considerable time.

Residents gave chase, managed to stop the car and alerted the Thrikodithanam police, who reached the spot and took Gokul into custody. Police said the youth was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, though that was yet to be ascertained. Hindustan Times also reported the arrest, describing the drive as covering about 8 km and hitting over a dozen vehicles.

The case comes amid growing concern in Kerala over road accidents involving young and minor drivers. The Hindu noted recent cases including an accident involving a minor at Cheranalloor in Kochi and another involving a 19-year-old at Nedumbassery. Police say the investigation into the Kottayam crashes, including how the rented car was hired out to the teenager, is continuing.