Union Minister Shripad Naik injured, wife and PA dead after road accident in Karnataka

Vijaya Naik, the wife of Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, and a close aide of the minister died after suffering serious injuries in a car accident near Hosakambi village in Ankola taluk of Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada district on Monday.

The minister, who was travelling in the car, has suffered multiple injuries and has been shifted to a hospital in Goa.

The minister’s aide who died was identified as Deepak Dube.

The accident took place while the Toyota Innova Crysta car was travelling towards Gokarna via Ankola and Yellapura. The car hit a tree, toppled and fell into a ditch, the police said.

रक्षा राज्य मंत्री श्री श्रीपद नाइक के सड़क दुर्घटना में घायल होने के समाचार से मैं स्तब्ध और अत्यंत दुखी हूँ।गोवा के मुख्यमंत्री श्री प्रमोद सावंत से मेरी बातचीत हुई है।श्रीपदजी के इलाज का समुचित प्रबंध राज्य सरकार कर रही है। ईश्वर से प्रार्थना है कि श्रीपदजी जल्दी स्वस्थ हों।

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 11, 2021

“The accident occurred between 7.45 pm and 8 pm. Two people suffered serious injuries —the wife of the minister and an aide. The minister also had multiple injuries,” Additional SP for Karwar region S Badarinath said. He added that the minister was moved to Bambolim Hospital in Goa on directions of the Goa government. Three others who were in the car — a personal guard of the minister, the driver and a friend of the minister — suffered minor injuries, police said. One of them, who is a local resident, was treated at a hospital in Ankola and the other two in Goa, police said.

Goa is about 110 km from Ankola where the accident occurred. Karwar is the district headquarters for the Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa expressed condolences over the death of Naik’s wife. “The death of Vijaya Naik is very unfortunate. May her soul rest in peace and God give strength to her family to overcome their grief,” he said. The Chief Minister wished quick recovery for the Union minister, who also holds charge of the AYUSH ministry.