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Haryana minister Panwar injured in Panipat road crash
The 68-year-old BJP leader was hospitalised in Panipat with minor injuries after his SUV collided with an escort vehicle near the city toll plaza
Haryana cabinet minister Krishan Lal Panwar, 68, sustained injuries on Friday afternoon when his official Toyota Innova SUV crashed into the rear of an escort vehicle in his convoy near the Panipat toll plaza.
The accident occurred near the Eldeco Estate One as Panwar was travelling towards Panipat, following an election campaign stint in Ambala and later in Sonepat, where the municipal corporation elections are to be held on May 10.
Dalbir Kumar, SHO of the Sector 13/17 police station under whose jurisdiction the accident took place, said a vehicle suddenly applied brakes in front of the minister’s convoy, causing all following vehicles to brake in an emergency.
The impact significantly damaged the minister’s vehicle which was also hit from behind, and caused a traffic gridlock on the busy highway stretch.
Security personnel and local bystanders immediately moved the minister to another vehicle in the convoy, rushing him to the Panipat civil hospital.
Upon receiving word of the collision, deputy commissioner Virender Dahiya, superintendent of police Bhupinder Singh, and Panipat City MLA Pramod Vij arrived at the hospital. Singer Masoom Sharma also arrived at the hospital later.
Deputy chief medical officer Dr Rinku Sangwan said the minister was stable and suffered no major injury. “His head hit the front windshield and his knee, which was recently operated on, also suffered the impact. Because of this, he underwent a CT scan and other tests. His vitals are stable,” he added.
The minister was discharged from the hospital late at night. Speaking to the media, he said that he was feeling better and was allowed to go home by doctors. “Three of our cars crashed with each other and mine was in between. I’m thankful to all my well-wishers and my staff who rushed me to the hospital,” he said. Panwar also said that he received phone calls from chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar and power minister Anil Vij to check on his health, while state BJP chief Mohanlal Badoli personally visited him.
Panwar, a seasoned politician and key dalit face for the BJP, is the minister for development and panchayats and mines and geology in the Nayab Singh Saini government. He also served as a Rajya Sabha member from the state.
