Kochi police commissioner dismissed amid controversy over Mercedes hit-and-run case

Kochi police chief Kaliraj Mahesh was relieved of his duties following a dispute over the police response to a road-traffic accident that left 55-year-old Jayabalakrishnan dead. The teenager, the son of an additional district judge, was driving a 2012 Mercedes-Benz when he struck a scooter operated by a street-food vendor.

Police investigations indicated the vehicle was traveling at high speed, and footage recovered from the teen's phone showed the car moving rapidly before the collision. The victim's family has alleged that the judge attempted to influence the case, including claims that the judge ordered the deletion of the video.

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala told the state assembly that officials responsible for lapses would face action. Four additional police officers were suspended after a senior officer reviewed the incident site and met with the victim's relatives. The probe has been transferred to the Crime Branch, and the case has been taken to the high court.

"Action will be taken against officials found responsible," Chennithala said in the assembly.

The incident has drawn parallels to a similar 2024 case in Pune involving a teenage driver of a speeding Porsche, where the accused also received bail quickly. Both cases have heightened public scrutiny of how traffic fatalities involving minors from influential families are investigated.