Kerala student returns from Middle East after mother’s funeral, learns friends died in road accident

Tragedy grips Kerala as two college students are killed and two others critically injured when their car crashes into a metro pillar near Changampuzha Park early Saturday in Kochi. The victims were on their way to pick up a childhood friend returning from the Middle East.

According to Manorama News, the victims — all in their early 20s from Alappuzha — were on their way to pick up their childhood friend, Abdullah Subair, who had just returned from the Middle East following his mother’s funeral.

The group — Haroon, Muneer, Yakub, and Adhil — left Alappuzha late on Friday night to meet Abdullah at Kochi airport. They reportedly took a wrong turn near Edappally, heading towards Palarivattom instead of Aluva.

Police said the Maruti Suzuki Swift, reportedly driven by Yakub, lost control at high speed, struck the road median, and crashed head-on into Metro Pillar No. 450, according to Mathrubhumi News. The car then overturned and came to rest on the opposite side of the road. The car overturned and landed on the opposite side of the road.

The impact was so severe that one alloy wheel broke apart and part of the car was mangled. Officers said the airbags failed to deploy.

Haroon Shaji (24) from Alappuzha Stadium Ward and Muneer Nazir (22) from Avalukkunnu died on the spot. Yakub Harris (20) and Adhil Ziyad (20), both from Valiyamaram, Alappuzha, were rushed to a private hospital with severe injuries.

Both remain in the ICU. Doctors told the media that Yakub sustained a head injury and remains unconscious with a blood clot, while Adhil suffers multiple internal injuries and is on ventilator support.

At Kochi airport, Abdullah waited for hours, unaware of the crash. When he called his friends’ phones, a police officer reportedly answered and informed him of the tragedy.

Abdullah, already grieving his mother’s death, was reported to be in deep shock upon learning of the accident.

Relatives said the four friends had been inseparable since childhood. “They were more like brothers than friends. They often went on short trips together — this was just another of their regular drives,” Abbas Ilayil, Yakub’s uncle, told Manorama News. 

A passing biker alerted police patrol teams, who rushed to the scene. One critically injured victim was taken to MAJ Hospital in a police jeep, and the others in autorickshaws.

Despite the quick response, Haroon and Muneer could not be saved.

Preliminary investigations indicate the car was speeding when it hit the median and crashed into the metro pillar. CCTV footage will be reviewed to determine the exact cause.

A detailed inspection of the wrecked vehicle will follow. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The bodies of the deceased were reportedly handed over to their families after post-mortem examinations.