Kerala: ‘Hero act’ unmasked as youth fakes road accident to impress woman’s family

Dubai: A bid to project bravery and responsibility ended in arrest after a youth in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district allegedly staged a road accident to impress the family of a woman he was in a relationship with, police said.

The first accused, Ranjith Rajan ( 24),  a native of Mammoodu near Konni, and the second accused, Ajas ( 19) , were taken into custody after investigators found that the incident, initially reported as a serious road accident, had been deliberately planned.

The incident took place on the evening of December 23, when the woman was riding a scooter. Police said Ajas followed her in a car and deliberately rammed into the scooter near Pathanamthitta, knocking her down before fleeing the scene. Shortly afterwards, Ranjith arrived at the spot in another car, took charge of the rescue and rushed the woman to a hospital. The woman suffered a dislocated right wrist and a fractured finger in the accident.

During the incident, Ranjith allegedly misled local residents by introducing himself as the woman’s husband, police said.

According to officials, the accident was staged to create the impression that Ranjith had courageously intervened to help a victim, hoping the act would portray him as responsible and heroic in the eyes of the woman’s family. The plan was executed to appear genuine, prompting public concern and an emergency response.

Police said the act not only misled authorities but also caused unnecessary public alarm and wasted emergency resources. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the law for creating a false emergency and misleading authorities. Both men have now been booked for attempted murder.

The accused were produced before a local court, and further investigation is underway to determine whether others were involved.