Union Minister Shripad Naik critical after injury in mishap, wife; aide killed

Union Minister ShripadNaik was injured in a road mishap in Karnataka on Monday andbrought to Goa Medical College Hospital later in a criticalcondition while his wife and an aide were killed.

The 68-year old minister was admitted in a criticalcondition to Goa Medical College and Hospital late night forfurther treatment, sources in Panaji said.

Naik and five others -his wife Vijaya,personal assistantDeepak, a gunman, a confidante and driver - were travelling ina car through a village of Uttara Kannada district tonightwhen the vehicle met with an accident after the driverappeared to have lost control, according to Karnataka police.

''It was not a collision between vehicles. Prima facieit appears to be the case of the driver losing control of thecar,'' a police officer told PTI in Bengaluru.

The Union Minister of State for AYUSH's car, skidded andveered off the road and rammed into a roadside tree.

The vehicle was badly mangled in the impact and whilethe Minister and others were injured, Naik's wife andassistant Deepak died.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant arrived at the GMCHbefore the ambulance reached the government-run hospital wheremedical specialists were ready to treat Naik, who is also thejunior defence minister.

After holding preliminary discussions with doctors,including Dean of GMCH Dr Shivanand Bandekar, Sawant took thephysicians in his car to the ambulance, which was on the wayto the hospital, for providing immediate attention to Naik.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Goa ChiefMinister Pramod Sawant to ensure proper medical treatment forthe minister, sources said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also spoke to Sawantabout speedy medical treatment of Naik.

In Panaji, Goa BJP President Sadanand Tanavade,General Secretary Satish Dhond and other party office-bearersgathered at the GMCH to enquire about Naik's condition.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa expressed shockover the accident and condoled the demise of Naik's wife.

''Shocked to know that the car which Union MinisterShripad Naik ji was travelling met with an accident in UttaraKannada and the death of his wife.

My heartfelt condolences on the tragic death of Smt Naikand prayers for the speedy recovery of Shri Naik and thoseinjured,'' Yediyurappa tweeted.

Inputs from Panaji said Naik was returning to Goa fromDharmasthala in Karnataka.

Police in the southern state said Naik's car was headedtowards Gokarna (a coastal Karnataka town, on the highwaytowards Goa) from Yallapur (Uttara Kananda district).

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