An Indian Administrative Services officer was arrested on Saturday after he rammed his car into a two-wheeler in Thiruvananthapuram, killing a journalist, PTI reported.

The police identified the IAS officer as Survey Director Sriram Venkataraman. The victim was identified as K Muhammed Basheer, the bureau chief of Malayalam newspaper Siraj, PTI reported.

“There were conflicting statements,” Thiruvananthapuram Police Commissioner Dhinendra Kashyap told PTI. “We have now confirmed from independent witnesses that Sriram Venkataraman was driving the vehicle.” The police have registered a case under IPC sections pertaining to rash driving and murder.

Witnesses said that an IAS officer, who seemed to be drunk, was driving the car rashly while a woman was also in the car. The officer’s blood samples were reportedly sent for tests. However, The Indian Express reported that the officer had refused to give his samples for a test.

Basheer died on the spot as his two-wheeler was crushed between the car and a wall. The accident occurred around 1 am.

Both Venkataraman and the woman he was with initially claimed that the other person was driving the vehicle. He then admitted himself in a private hospital to get his injuries treated.

Kerala Union of Working Journalists demanded a proper investigation in the case as reports claimed that the police were lenient towards the IAS officer.