Rijohn Jose, 29, died after a motorcycle accident in Kozhikode at the end of a night of late Sunday, which left Kerala football fans shocked. He was part of Calicut FC's squad preparing for the upcoming Super League Kerala season. Another Kerala footballer Gani Ahmed Nigam, who plays for Kerala in the Santosh Trophy, was seriously injured in the accident and is in the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital.
The accident occurred at 10.30 pm on Sunday evening when the motorcycle of Rijohn Jose and Gani Ahmed Nigam collided with another motorcycle. According to media reports, it happened in the vicinity of Christian College near Gandhi Road flyover in Kozhikode. Four people travelling on the two motorcycles were taken to Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital after the collision.
Rijohn was treated but died of his injuries at 12.15 am. His death occurred four days before Calicut FC were to kick off their season, making things more difficult for the club and the players to cope with this tragedy in the start of the new football season.
Who was Rijohn Jose?
Rijohn Jose was a Thrissur footballer who had been in various clubs in his domestic football career. Before joining Calicut FC, he had played for FC Deccan, Wayanad United and George Telegraph.
Rijohn had recently joined Calicut FC’s newly formed squad as the Kozhikode-based club prepared for its debut campaign in the Super League Kerala. He was in regular training with the team and was in training for the upcoming season.
His death at the age of 29 has brought to an abrupt halt the career of a player who had been looking forward to a new career in Kerala football. His teammates and the football club are now suffering the pain of losing him and have to go back to work at the club to get back into training.
How did the Kozhikode accident happen?
The motorcycle accident took place late Sunday night near Christian College on the Gandhi Road flyover. Rijohn and Gani were travelling on one motorcycle when it collided with another two-wheeler.
The impact left all four people travelling on the two motorcycles needing medical attention. They were then taken to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode, where doctors treated the injured.
Rijohn was said to be in critical condition after the accident. Despite efforts to treat his injuries, he died at 12.15 am. The circumstances surrounding the collision are being investigated as part of the authorities' investigation into the accident.
Gani Ahmed Nigam seriously injured
Gani Ahmed Nigam was also seriously injured in the crash and remains in Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital. Nigam is well liked in Kerala football circles and has represented the state in the Santosh Trophy.
As he had been involved with Calicut FC, both players were working together in preparation for the upcoming Super League Kerala season. So the accident has had a direct impact on the team at this stage of preparation.
Nigam's condition and subsequent treatment will be very closely followed by the football world as he recovers from his injuries.
Calicut FC preparations hit by tragedy
Calicut FC had been preparing for its first Super League Kerala campaign, and the team had been training in Kozhikode ahead of the start of the competition. The death of Rijohn has now cast a shadow over those preparations.
The preparation of a new club entering any league is usually dominated by squad building, tactical planning and momentum. But Calicut FC and their players now have to deal with the sudden death of one of their players.
Rijohn’s death also serves to highlight the dangers for athletes and other young professionals away from the sporting arena. Road accidents can have tragic consequences for anyone of any profession and the tragedy has resonated with Kerala’s football community.
The upcoming Super League Kerala season was expected to provide Calicut FC with the chance to establish itself in the state's football scene. Rijohn was part of that journey and had been preparing with the rest of the team for the season.
As the club and Rijohn's family cope with the loss, attention will also be on the recovery of Gani Ahmed Nigam. The football community will rally around both the bereaved family and the injured player during the difficult period.
Rijohn Jose’s death has interrupted preparations for Calicut FC’s new campaign. For his teammates, coaches and supporters, the focus now extends beyond football as they mourn the loss of a young player who was preparing to represent the club in an important new chapter.
