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

Bengaluru/Panaji: Union Minister Shripad Naik was injured in a road mishap in Karnataka on Monday and brought to Goa Medical College Hospital later in a critical condition while his wife and an aide were killed.

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

Naik and five others -his wife Vijaya, personal assistant Deepak, a gunman, a confidante and driver – were travelling in a car through a village of Uttara Kannada district tonight when the vehicle met with an accident after the driver appeared to have lost control, according to Karnataka police.

“It was not a collision between vehicles. Prima facie it appears to be the case of the driver losing control of the car,” a police officer told PTI in Bengaluru. The Union Minister of State for AYUSH’s car, skidded and veered off the road and rammed into a roadside tree.

The vehicle was badly mangled in the impact and while the Minister and others were injured, Naik”s wife and assistant Deepak died.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant arrived at the GMCH before the ambulance reached the government-run hospital where medical specialists were ready to treat Naik, who is also the junior defence minister.

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

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to ensure proper medical treatment for the minister, sources said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also spoke to Sawant about speedy medical treatment of Naik.

In Panaji, Goa BJP President Sadanand Tanavade, General Secretary Satish Dhond and other party office-bearers gathered at the GMCH to enquire about Naik’s condition. Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa expressed shock over the accident and condoled the demise of Naik”s wife.

“Shocked to know that the car which Union Minister Shripad Naik ji was travelling met with an accident in Uttara Kannada and the death of his wife. My heartfelt condolences on the tragic death of Smt Naik and prayers for the speedy recovery of Shri Naik and those injured,” Yediyurappa tweeted.

Inputs from Panaji said Naik was returning to Goa from Dharmasthala in Karnataka. Police in the southern state said Naik”s car was headed towards Gokarna (a coastal Karnataka town, on the highway towards Goa) from Yallapur (Uttara Kananda district).