Mangaluru, (The Hindu): A car driver, who was allegedly drunk, rammed his vehicle into an autorickshaw parked at the autorickshaw stand in Ambedkar Circle on Sunday night, killing the autorickshaw driver and injuring two other drivers.

According to the police, Aneesh John, a native of Kerala who works in a star hotel, was driving the car with his friend sitting by his side. The two were returning after having dinner at Kadri.

Around 10.30 p.m., Aneesh crossed Bunts Hostel Junction and approached Ambedkar Junction. Instead of taking a left turn towards the Collectors Gate, Aneesh went straight and rammed into the autorickshaw.

The police said the autorickshaw driver, Praveen Kumar, was standing next to his vehicle and was immediately taken to a nearby hospital. He succumbed to injuries in the early hours of Monday.

Two other autorickshaw drivers, Ashok and Jagadish, were also injured and admitted to a private hospital. Jagadish is said to be critical.

The Mangaluru Traffic East police arrested John and seized liquor bottles found inside his car. The police are looking for Aneesh’s friend, who is said to have fled following the accident. The police have taken up a case under Section 304 (A) of the IPC (causing death by negligence) against John.

Blood samples taken

The police said John was taken to the Government Wenlock Hospital and his blood samples collected. The samples have been sent to the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory to test for alcohol level.

“If the report shows that the level of alcohol was above the permissible limit, the case will come under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder),” said Shashi Kumar, police inspector, Mangaluru Traffic East Police Station. While the maximum punishment for an offence under Section 304 A is imprisonment for two years, it is 10 years under Section 304.

MLA J.R. Lobo met Praveen Kumar’s family members at the Wenlock Hospital mortuary.