A new Indian minister was killed earlier today in a car accident in the capital just days after being sworn into government, officials said.
Gopinath Munde, rural development and water and sanitation minister, died in hospital after his car was involved in an accident en route to New Delhi´s airport early today morning.
“His car was hit by another car which gave him a shock and Munde himself asked his driver to rush him to the hospital,” fellow minister Nitin Gadkari told reporters outside the AIIMS hospital.
Munde, 64, was among ministers sworn in on Monday. He was a veteran politician and a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Munde hailed from western Maharashtra where he was a former deputy chief minister of the state between 1995 and 1999.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among those to pay tribute to Munde, saying his death was a “major loss” for the country.
