Shripad Naik attends Parliament for first time after road accident

Ayush Minister Shripad Naik attended Parliament for the first time on Wednesday, after recovering from injuries sustained in a road accident in January.

Naik was seen entering the House wearing a face mask and an arm sling. He was also seen walking with the support of an elbow crutch.

Naik had suffered multiple fractures and internal injuries, and underwent four surgeries at Goa Medical College and Hospital. His wife Vijaya Naik and his personal assistant Deepak Ghume suffered fatal injuries in the accident.

The 68-year-old leader, who is also the Minister of State for defence, was travelling back to Goa from neighbouring Karnataka when his car, a Toyota Innova Crysta, hit a tree, toppled and fell into a ditch.

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.