Kolkata: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee sustained serious injuries as a speeding lorry collided head on with his car in West Bengal late Saturday.
Mukherjee 72, suffered 12 stitches in the head and was treated for injuries in the body at Bethuadahari Primary Hospital. He was conscious, state Home Secretary P R Roy told PTI.
He said the minister's condition was stated to be stable and he was rushed to Krishnanagar Hospital for further treatment. A CT scan would be done later.
The accident took place at around 21.15 hours IST on the National Highway 34 near Nikashipara, about 100 km from this West Bengal capital.
Mukherjee was taken to the nearby Bethuadohori Block Hospital for preliminary treatment and he was now under medical supervision.
TV reports said he received the head injury and was put on saline even as doctors and the district administration were making arrangements to shift him to Kolkata for better treatment.
Mukherjee was returning to Kolkata after inaugurating a book fair at Baharampur in Murshidabad district.
He was accompanied by two Congress leaders, Manas Bhuniy and Praduth Guha when the accident took place.
The accident occurred when a Bahrampur-bound truck skidded off the road and collided with Mukherjee's car after the pilot car and other vehicles of convoy passed the area.
A team of Army doctors from Command Hospital and a team of neurophysicians from Kolkata rushed to Nadia to treat Mukherjee. Roy said the state has made necessary arrangements for treatment.
CLP leader and PCC General Secretary Manas Bhuniya and another state leader Pradyot Guha were also injured in the accident.
Roy told PTI the condition of car driver and minister's security guard were serious. West Bengal Congress Working President Pradip Bhattacharya expressed surprise how a truck could hit the Union minister's convoy and demanded an investigation.
With inputs from PTI
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