Father of absconding doctor arrested in hit-and-run case

Police on Friday arrested the father of a doctor who is on the run after a 19-year-old woman died following a hit-and-run accident near here, officials said. The Special Investigation Team tracking down the accused, Dr Cyriac, arrested his father, George Mathew of Athirampuzha, Kottayam, for allegedly helping the accused evade arrest. Mathew was summoned to the Angamaly police station and, after interrogation, his arrest was recorded for aiding the accused to remain at large, police said. Police said that George had met Cyriac after the accident and had assisted Cyriac in going into hiding. Officials said the vehicle involved in the hit-and-run incident was also registered in Mathew's name. The victim, Jasliya Johnson (19) of Edavanakkad, sustained serious injuries while she was walking back to her hostel in Angamaly at around 7.30 pm on February 28. She was declared brain dead at a private hospital here on March 3, after which her parents consented to donate her liver, kidneys and corneas. Dr Cyriac was working as a house surgeon at a private hospital in Ernakulam. Police registered a case of culpable homicide, but Cyriac has been absconding since the incident. The investigation team has issued a lookout circular and conducted raids in Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki districts, but the doctor has not yet been traced, officials said. Cyriac has approached the Kottayam District and Sessions Court seeking anticipatory bail.