Published Sep 09, 2026 | 1:20 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 09, 2026 | 1:20 PM
Shafna, Muneer and their three-year-old son, Muhammad Ameen Ibac
Synopsis: A Gulf returnee, his wife and their three-year-old son were killed in Kunnamkulam when a speeding car, allegedly driven by a drunk man, rammed their motorcycle. The family was returning from a wedding when the crash occurred. The driver fled the scene and was arrested only 36 hours later.
The 36-hour delay in arresting the accused driver in the Kunnamkulam road accident that claimed the lives of a young NRI and his family has raised serious questions over the police response. The biggest criticism centres on whether the delay cost crucial time that could have helped establish whether he was driving under the influence of alcohol.
The accident occurred on September 5, when a car fatally rammed a motorcycle on which a family of three were travelling. The following day, September 6, Kunnamkulam Police issued a lookout notice for the absconding accused and alerted airports. Police said they conducted extensive searches, monitored the accused’s residence and alerted checkposts across the state.
However, they failed to trace him until he surrendered at the Kunnamkulam police station on September 7, sparking widespread public outrage. The formal arrest was registered after nearly 36 hours.
He has been charged under BNS sections 105, a non-bailable cognisable offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and 110 (2), for causing bodily hurt. Additionally, 134(A),134(B),187 and 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Amendment 2015, 2019) have also been slapped on him.
Speaking to South First, investigating officer Rohit Chevayur said Ben was produced before the Kunnamkulam Taluk Hospital for a medical examination and that his blood sample had been sent to the Regional Chemical Laboratory in Kakkanad for analysis.
“We are awaiting the result of the blood test. It will take some time, but the investigation will continue. Ben has now been remanded. We hope the delay will not affect the case. In many cases, drunken driving and the presence of alcohol in the blood can be established even after 48 hours. It depends on factors such as the quantity of alcohol consumed and the food the person had eaten,” he said.
Chevayur added that the medical report will not be the sole evidence in court.
“Situational evidence will also be taken into consideration when the case comes up before the court,” he said.
The 36-hour delay that preceded Ben’s examination is significant in a medico-legal case, where the timing of medical examination can become crucial evidence in court.
Speaking to South First, lawyer Babila Ummer Khan said prompt police action is particularly important in accident cases involving suspected drunk driving.
“Under the Motor Vehicles Act, victims have a legal right to timely medical treatment and police must act quickly when an accused flees the scene. The medical examination can play a crucial role in establishing whether the accused was driving under the influence of alcohol,” she said.
Khan clarified that the 24-hour provision under Section 2(12-A) and Section 162 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, as amended in 2019, relates to reporting road accidents and should not be interpreted as giving police 24 hours to produce an accused for medical examination.
“Ideally, the medical examination should be conducted as soon as possible,” she said. Blood alcohol concentration can be crucial evidence, and a delay of this length can make it harder to establish the level of alcohol in a driver’s system, doctors have underlined on earlier occasions.
The Kunnamkulam accident case also brings back concerns over police lapses in handling accident cases.
A similar controversy arose in the 2019 death of journalist KM Basheer, when questions were raised over the delay in reaching the accident spot and the failure to promptly subject the accused, IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman, to a medical examination despite allegations that he had been drinking.
There were allegations that Venkitaraman had taken medication before his blood was tested, and that the delay may have affected the detection of alcohol. His blood test had returned negative for alcohol.
Muneer had returned home from the Gulf with the excitement of someone who had been counting the days to be with his family. The 39-year-old was looking forward to celebrating Onam with his loved ones and attending a family wedding.
Cheerful by nature and deeply attached to his family, he was known among relatives and neighbours for valuing close bonds and a quiet, peaceful life.
For Muneer, his wife Shafna (28), and their three-year-old son, Muhammad Ameen Ibac, these were supposed to be days of togetherness. He had returned to Kerala just two months earlier and was preparing to head back to the Gulf soon.
Instead, the late-night journey home after a wedding ended with all three losing their lives in the devastating road accident.
The family was returning from a relative’s wedding in Marathumkod on the night of September 5, when their motorcycle was allegedly rammed by a speeding car at Kurukkanpara, near Excel Public School in Arthat, on the Kunnamkulam-Guruvayur road.
According to the FIR, the accident occurred around 11.38 pm after Muneer stopped the motorcycle by the roadside to attend a phone call. The impact was so powerful that all three were reportedly thrown nearly 50 metres from the motorcycle. Residents who rushed to the spot found the victims scattered around the area.
Shafna had been thrown over a nearby wall, while little Ameen was found near an electric post. Muneer was also found on the roadside.
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The car involved in the accident
Muneer’s return from the Gulf brought happiness to a family that had been waiting for him to come home. While he worked abroad, Shafna, a homemaker and Chavakkad native, stayed with their son at Muneer’s family home.
Shafeeq, a neighbour, told South First that Muneer was cheerful and family-oriented, and maintained close ties with neighbours and relatives.
His sudden death, along with Shafna and Ameen, has left the community struggling to come to terms with the loss.
Kunnamkulam Fire and Rescue Services received the emergency alert around 11.45 pm. By the time the team reached the spot, residents had already taken the three victims to hospital. The damaged motorcycle, car and an electric post at the accident site bore witness to the force of the collision.
The family had attended the wedding together that night. Muneer, Shafna and their son travelled on the motorcycle, while his parents and his brother’s family took another route.
Ben
The police FIR names Ben (31), a native of Arthat, as the accused driver. Police allege that he was driving at excessive speed and was under the influence of alcohol.
Police also allege that Ben fled the scene after the crash without arranging medical assistance for the victims or informing the authorities. Police arrested him in Kakkad, Kunnamkulam, on Monday, September 7.
Three other occupants of the car at the time of the incident — Ajith, Shijil and Danish — were arrested on September 8.
The charges include culpable homicide, drunken driving and failing to provide assistance or report the accident.
Also Read:
Kerala logs nearly 99,000 accidents, over 7,600 deaths in two years; over-speeding leading cause
The licence to kill: How corruption at Kerala’s RTOs is fuelling a road safety catastrophe
(Edited by Fayisa CA, Majnu Babu and R Rajesh Kumar.)
