Ankola: Union Minister Shripad Naik’s wife and Personal Secretary Deepak Dhume were killed in a road mishap that took place near Ankola in Uttara Karnataka on Monday night. Naik is said to be in critical condition.
As per news agency ANI, the other co-passengers who were in the car at the time of the incident have been identified as Sayikiran Sethiya, Gunmam Tukaram Patil and driver Suraj Nayak. They are being treated in the government hospital.
Naik’s wife Vijaya (55) breathed her last while being taken to a hospital in Ankola. Meanwhile, the minister had been taken to Goa Medical College (GMC) in Bambolim.
They were all plying from Yellapura Gante Ganapathi temple to Gokarna when the car in which they were travelling turned turtle near Hosakambi.
MLA Roopali Naik, SP Shivaprakash Devraj and others have visited the spot.
Shripad Naik is the Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy and Minister of State for Defence.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa expressed condolences and prayed for a speedy recovery for Shripad Naik.
“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 said in a tweet.