india

Updated: Aug 04, 2019 04:08 IST

IAS officer Sreeram Venkataraman has been arrested in connection with the road accident that claimed the life of a journalist in Thiruvananthapuram early on Saturday.

According to the police, State Survey director Venkataraman was under the influence of alcohol when his car rammed into the bike of KM Basheer (35), the bureau chief Malayalam daily Siraj. Basheer died on the spot.

Venkataraman told the police that his friend was driving the car when the accident took place. The woman, however, has denied the allegation. A man, claiming to be a witness of the accident also posted a message on social media, saying that a man was driving the car and he was highly inebriated.

The 33-year-old IAS officer, who was appointed survey director by the state cabinet on Thursday, was arrested under Section 279 (Rash driving on a public way) and 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

The official has been charged under a non-bailable offence and could serve an imprisonment upto 10 years, news agency PTI quoted IGP and Thiruvananthapuram city police commissioner Dhinendra Kashyap as saying

Venkataraman was in the news two years ago when he carried out a massive demolition drive in hill resort Munnar. He was abruptly transferred after he pulled down a cross, allegedly installed by a church at a public place.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the death of the journalist, who is survived by his wife and two minor children.

People close to the IAS officer said the IAS officer had recently returned to Kerala after completing a course at a US-based university.He had thrown a party on Friday to celebrate his return.

(With agency inputs)