Mangaluru: A fatal crash near the Indian Oil petrol pump in Boliyar, which claimed the lives of two 23-year-old youths on Monday, has taken a serious turn, with police registering a murder case against the pickup truck driver following a complaint alleging that he deliberately rammed into their scooter after an altercation.
The deceased have been identified as Mohammed Zunaid (23) and his friend Mohammed Afraz (23). The accused driver has been identified as Hafeez alias Appi.
The incident, initially reported as a road accident, came under investigation after a complaint filed by Zunaid’s father, Ismail, a resident of Kinya, alleged that the collision was intentional and followed a heated argument and physical fight between the youths and the accused.
Based on the complaint, Konaje police registered a case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with murder. The case has been registered as Crime No. 112/2026.
Altercation reported before the crash
According to the complaint, Zunaid and Afraz left their home on a scooter at around 1.30 pm on Monday. At approximately 4 pm, the two youths allegedly became involved in a heated argument and physical altercation with Hafeez near Ranthadka Cross.
Following the confrontation, Zunaid and Afraz reportedly left the spot on their scooter, bearing registration number KA-19-HX-6964, and proceeded towards Mudipu.
The complaint alleges that Hafeez, angered by the altercation, pursued the two youths in his pickup truck, bearing registration number KA-19-B-6747.
Pickup truck allegedly rammed into scooter
According to the allegations in the complaint, Hafeez chased the scooter and deliberately rammed his pickup truck into it near the Indian Oil petrol pump in Boliyar.
The impact threw both youths onto the road. The collision was severe enough to snap an electric pole nearby, adding to the damage caused by the crash.
The accused allegedly abandoned the damaged pickup truck at the scene and fled after the collision.
The circumstances described in the complaint have led police to register a murder case rather than treat the incident solely as a road accident. The allegations are now subject to investigation.
Both youths succumb to injuries
Following the collision, Zunaid was taken to Kanachur Hospital for treatment. However, doctors declared him dead at 6.55 pm.
Afraz, who sustained critical injuries in the crash, was shifted to KS Hegde Hospital. He later succumbed to his injuries.
The deaths of the two young men have turned the incident into a criminal investigation centred on the events leading up to the collision and the allegations against the pickup truck driver.
Konaje police register murder case
The complaint lodged by Ismail forms the basis of the police case. Konaje police have registered an FIR under Section 103(1) of the BNS, citing the alleged intentional nature of the collision.
The investigation is expected to establish the sequence of events surrounding the reported altercation, the subsequent pursuit and the fatal crash at Boliyar.
The allegations against Hafeez, including the claim that the collision was deliberate, remain allegations to be established through the investigation and legal proceedings.
The case has taken a significant turn from the initial account of a fatal road accident, with police now investigating the deaths of Zunaid and Afraz as an alleged murder.