Drag racing amid the New Year revelry claimed the lives of two youths near Thiruvallam on Sunday midnight.
The incident occurred near the Kallummoodu bridge along the National Highway-66 bypass around 12.15 a.m. when a gang of at least five motorcyclists were speeding towards Kovalam after attending a New Year celebration at Kazhakuttam.
The deceased persons, Syedali, 22, of Pachalloor and Shibin, 26, of Jagathy, were initially presumed to have died after their motorcycles brushed against each other. However, the case took an unexpected turn after a video clip recovered from a helmet camera used by a fellow biker indicated that the incident could have happened when the youths raced against each other.
