Actress and BJP MP Hema Malini’s driver, Ramesh Chand, was arrested on Friday morning after an FIR was registered against him following the car accident in Dausa – 60 km from Jaipur – in Rajasthan late on Thursday evening. The actor-turned-politician was on her way to Jaipur when her Mercedes collided with a Maruti Alto, resulting in the death of a little girl.
The Alto driver, Hanuman Mahajan, filed an FIR with the Dausa Police after the accident killed her four-year-old daughter, Sonam. A case under IPC sections 270 (overspeeding and reckless driving), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 304a (causes death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act) has been registered. Both the vehicles have been seized.
The 66-year-old actor was badly injured in the accident. “She suffered a cut near an eyebrow, some problem in nasal bone, injury on forehead and had body ache,” Rajasthan Minister Rajpal Singh Shekhawat, who visited her late on Thursday night, told reporters.
Shekhawat said Malini went through the CT scan and other tests as a matter of precaution. Plastic surgeons were examining her face and wounds. A number of other specialists including Anoop Jhurani, bone replacement expert, also attended to the actor, a senior doctor said.
owever, 5-year-old Soumil, one of the occupants of the Alto and Sonam’s brother, is still in a critical state. There were five occupants in the car – two women, two children and a man, according to reports. Two of the four injured were admitted to Sawai Man Singh hospital in Jaipur while the other two are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Dausa, he said.
Hema Malini was going to Jaipur from Mathura in her Mercedes Benz while the other vehicle was proceeding to Lalsoth from Jaipur. Besides the driver and Hema Malini, two other persons were reported to be traveling with her in the vehicle. An eyewitness said the Alto car was entering the bypass road from a side road on the highway when the collision occurred.
Rajasthan Chief Minister and BJP leader Vasundhara Raje wrote on Twitter, “Deeply saddened by the news of Dausa accident. I pray for the victims. We’re making all efforts to provide immediate relief & medical care.
