Kochi police commissioner removed over lapses in Mercedes hit-and-run probe

The Kerala government on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, removed Kochi City Police Commissioner Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar from his post over lapses in the investigation of a fatal hit-and-run in which a Mercedes-Benz car allegedly driven by the 17-year-old son of an Additional District and Sessions Judge killed a scooter rider. R. Nishanthini has taken over as commissioner. Four police personnel, a Circle Inspector, a Station House Officer, a Grade Sub-Inspector and an Assistant Civil Police Officer, were suspended on the basis of an officer's report. The action came after Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala acknowledged that there had been lapses in the probe and promised action against those responsible.

The case has become a test of whether the law applies equally when the people involved are powerful. The victim's family has protested for days, alleging that the initial police response was soft because the driver was a judge's son. Their complaints include a claim that a photograph of the teenager taken at the police station was deleted. A special team has reportedly been formed to look into these allegations, which have not been proven.

The government's decision to remove the city's police chief and suspend four personnel is an unusually strong step in a case still under investigation. It signals that the state accepts there were failings in how the case was first handled, especially the choice of charges. Applying a lesser charge in a fatal crash can change bail, trial and punishment, so the Home Minister's admission on that point is significant.

The case also recalls the Pune Porsche crash, in which a teenager was at the wheel and the handling of the case by authorities caused national anger. The Motor Vehicles Act allows guardians and vehicle owners to be held responsible when a juvenile drives, and police in Kochi have used that provision against the judge.

Because the driver is a minor, his identity is protected under the Juvenile Justice Act, and the matter is being handled by the Juvenile Justice Board. Questions of guilt will be decided by the board and the courts, not by the police or the government.

Short-term: A new commissioner takes over Kochi's police force with the case under close public watch. The investigation, including the charges and the allegations of evidence being tampered with, will now be reviewed.

Long-term: The case may push Kerala to tighten rules on how police record and charge fatal crashes involving minors, and to act faster against officers who fail to follow procedure. It may also add to calls for stricter checks on minors driving.

Who is affected: The victim's family, the people of Kochi, the Kerala Police and its officers, the judicial officer concerned, and parents across India who allow minors to drive.

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