Tar poured on car passengers: CCTV footage shows car passengers caused problems

KOCHI: In a turn of events in the incident of pouring tar on the bodies of car passengers in Chilavannur, it has been proven that problems started with the car passengers and during the dispute, the tar from the tarring worker's hand accidentally spilled on their bodies.

Vinod Varghese (40), Joseph Vinu (36) and Antony Jijo (40) of Cherammel House in Chilavannur suffered burns from boiling tar. Vinod and Joseph have severe burns on their hands and feet. Anthony's hand was burnt. The footage from the nearby CCTV camera helped the police to find the truth of the incident. The youth alleged that tarring workers poured tar on their bodies without any provocation. The police had earlier arrested a labourer named Krishnappan in connection with the incident.

The statement given by the three burnt car passengers said that the construction workers poured tar over them after questioning them for not keeping a warning board in connection with the road repair work. But after checking the CCTV footage, the police realized that this claim of the car passengers was wrong. It is clear in the CCTV footage that the car stops at the construction site on the road even though there was space to go. The workers were making way for the car to go, but three inside the car were not ready to go ahead and got into an argument with the workers. In the ensuing conflict, the tar that was in a can fell on their bodies. The locals have told the police that the people who came in the car caused the problem and they were under the influence of alcohol.