Union Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik lost his wife Vijaya in a road accident in Ankola police station limits in Uttara Kannada district on Monday.
The Minister, who was travelling with his wife and four others, including the driver, was seriously injured in the accident and was shifted to Goa for treatment.
Another person in the car who was said to be a BJP worker also died in the accident which occurred between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. near Hosakambi village in Ankola taluk.
The name of the deceased BJP worker was immediately not known.
The bodies of Vijaya and the BJP worker were shifted to Goa. Three others in the car who sustained minor injuries have also been taken to Goa.
A senior police official said that all of them (totally six persons) were travelling from Yellapura to Gokarna in Uttara Kannada district when their car overturned. The Ankola Police have registered a case.
The Minister and his wife visited Sri Krishna Mutt in Udupi on Sunday. On Saturday, he attended a function at Dharmasthala.
Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, in a tweet, expressed shock over the death of Ms. Vijaya.
Former Minister R.V. Deshpande tweeted: “Shocked to hear that Union Minister Shripad Naik has met with an accident near Ankola and his wife who was travelling with him has tragically died. My deepest condolences to their family and friends. Praying for speedy recovery of Shripadji and hope he will be out of danger soon.”
