Thrissur (Kerala), Sep 6: In a tragic road accident in Kerala Thrissur district, a couple and their three-year-old son were killed after a speeding car rammed into their motorcycle, officials said on Sunday.

Police said that a search is currently underway to trace the driver of the car who fled from the spot following the accident.

The deceased have been identified as Muneer, 35, his wife Shafna, 28, and their three-year-old son, Mohammed Ameen Aibak. They were residents of Panchavadi Thazhatheth House at Edakkazhiyur in Chavakkad.

According to police, the accident occurred at around 11.30 pm on Saturday on the Guruvayur–Kunnamkulam road. The family was returning home after attending a wedding ceremony when they stopped their motorcycle by the roadside to attend a phone call.

Meanwhile, a car bearing registration number KL-46-U-6001, travelling in the same direction, reportedly lost control and crashed into their motorcycle.

The impact was so severe that all three occupants of the bike were thrown nearly 50 metres away. Though they were rushed to different private hospitals with serious injuries, none of them could be saved.

Police officials said the car driver, who was allegedly returning from a bar in the Kunnamkulam area, fled the scene immediately after the accident.

Two other people who were travelling in the car have been taken into police custody and are being questioned.

Police have launched a search for the absconding driver.

In a similar tragedy, eight engineering college students from Tamil Nadu were killed after the car in which they were travelling rammed into a stationary goods lorry on National Highway 66 at Kaipamangalam in Thrissur district around midnight on Friday.

The accident occurred at Panambikkunnu Centre on a stretch of the national highway where construction work is underway.

The Tamil Nadu-registered car, carrying eight people, crashed into the rear of the lorry, which had been parked near a diversion created as part of the ongoing highway works.

The impact of the collision was severe, leaving the car completely mangled and trapping its occupants inside.

Local residents and rescue personnel rushed to the spot after learning about the accident. The damaged vehicle had to be cut open to extricate the victims.

Seven of the occupants are understood to have died at the accident site, while another victim was rushed to hospital but could not be saved.

New Delhi, Sep 5: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on Saturday lashed out at the Congress, accusing it of being “anti-Scheduled Caste” and “anti-women” after a Dalit woman MLA of the party was allegedly assaulted by Congress’ own workers in Kerala.

Posting a video of the purported incident on his official X account, Bhandari took a jibe at the grand old party, saying: “Congress smashing the patriarchy in Kerala.”

The BJP leader was referring to Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Smash the Patriarchy’ remark at his ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ event in Pune.

“Their own Dalit woman MLA, Remya Haridas, attacked by own Congress workers,” Pradeep Bhandari said.

Accusing the grand old party, the BJP leader also added: “Congress is ‘Anti-SC’, ‘Anti Women’!”

Earlier on Saturday, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi had also targeted Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Smash the Patriarchy’ remark, while referring to the low number of women Ministers in states ruled by the Congress and the removal of a woman Minister (Konda Surekha) from the Telangana Cabinet.

“By shouting ‘Smash Patriarchy, Smash Patriarchy’, they (Congress) are removing women Ministers one by one. On the other hand, highest number of women Ministers in India’s history are serving in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government,” Trivedi said during a press conference.

During the ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ event in Pune on August 22, Rahul Gandhi had called women as the greatest strength of the nation.

“You are this country’s foundation, its future. Patriarchy crushes you, frightens you, controls you. We must work together to dismantle this patriarchy. Smash the patriarchy. My message to you, a simple message: be loud, be proud and fight for your space in society,” the Lok Sabha LoP said.

He asserted that women do not belong to anyone but themselves and urged young women to “break the cage”.

Rahul Gandhi added that while many view the economy or the military as India’s main strength, he believes the nation’s biggest asset lies in the ideas and dreams of its 70 crore women.

He emphasised that women naturally possess higher sensitivity, gentleness, and empathy.

Moreover, the Congress MP had criticised traditional frameworks like Manusmriti for confining women to rigid roles (such as solely being identified as a daughter, wife, or mother), saying: “Women do not belong to any man; you belong only to yourselves.”

New Delhi, Sep 5: Self-styled “influencer” Swatantra Bharadwaj, who claimed to have physically assaulted a student protestor’s father during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led Jantar Mantar demonstration, was sent to one day police custody on Saturday after being arrested by the Delhi Police.

A day earlier, Bharadwaj was detained by Delhi Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district.

On Friday, Delhi Police had assured to arrest the accused under sections of the POCSO Act, the SC/ST Act and attempt to murder, within 72 hours, following an agitation by the CJP outside the Parliament Street Police Station in New Delhi.

The CJP’s agitation was also joined by Azad Samaj Party chief and MP Chandra Shekhar, Purnea MP Pappu Yadav and Indian Youth Congress.

A controversy erupted after Bharadwaj, in a purported viral video, allegedly claimed to have assaulted the father of a minor protester, Nishu Azad, during the demonstration at Jantar Mantar and boasted that he was let off by the Delhi Police as he has “political connections”.

The agitators had sought the registration of an FIR against Swatantra Bharadwaj, under stringent sections and immediate arrest of the accused.

Meanwhile, Union Minister and LJP-RV chief Chirag Paswan, on Friday, claimed that his name has been “misused” by the accused in the purported viral video.

Paswan said that he has lodged an official complaint against the accused, identified as Swatantra Bharadwaj, and will ensure justice to the minor victim and her family.

“Understanding the seriousness of this matter, and because that person has misused my name along with the names of several politicians, I have filed an official complaint against him. At the same time, I have urged the Delhi Police that there should be a fair investigation into this matter,” he told reporters in Patna.

Moreover, the LJP-RV chief stated: “Me and my party takes the responsibility to ensure justice to them because allegations have been put on me that may be due to my support, along with that of other politicians; action was not taken against the accused. So now we will ensure that the truth comes out and also ensure strict punishment for the accused who was openly mocking the legal system.”