Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani escaped without major injuries in an accident on the Yamuna Expressway on Saturday night. However one person, a doctor whose motorcycle was part of a deadly pile up, was not so fortunate. He died on the the spot and two minors travelling with him suffered injuries.
This is what Irani tweeted soon after the incident. She said she tried to reach medical help for those injured in the accident. But in an FIR lodged at a police station in Mathura by Agra-based doctor Ramesh Nagar's son Abhishek, it is being alleged that the medical practitioner's daughter and nephew had to wait seven hours before getting proper medical help, the Times of India reported.
For all enquiring re my accident- I'm fine. Thank you for the concern and wishes.
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 5, 2016
There was a pile up of vehicles due to an accident on the expressway. Unfortunately the police vehicle before mine & my car also crashed.
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 5, 2016
Tried to help the injured who were lying on the road for quiet sometime and ensured they reach a hospital. Pray for their safety.
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 5, 2016
Good Samaritan Manoj Chopra and his wife also helped injured citizens. God bless them for their empathy and kindness.
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 5, 2016
He alleged that Irani "ignored the victims and moved away. Police took the children to hospital." Irani was returning from Vrindavan where she attended a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha convention.
According to the FIR, a "speeding car" with registration number DL 3C BA 5315, allegedly caused the accident in which Dr Nagar lost his life. He alleged that the car was part of the cavalcade of the HRD minister. Abhishek claimed Nagar's eight-year-old nephew Pankaj was not given first aid at the Mathura district hospital and was in pain for almost seven hours. He was shifted to Agra's SN medical college, where doctors treated him for a fractured arm.
But Mathura district hospital's chief medical superintendent Dr Kamta Prasad Garg told TOI that the two minors were given "antibiotics, painkillers and put on drips."
On Monday, Irani's office denied the charge that she neglected the victims and said that the Honda City car mentioned in the FIR was not part of her convoy. Her spokesperson told NDTV that despite being hurt, she "stopped to call a senior police officer and ask him to send an ambulance."
Eye-witness Manoj Chopra told the media that her convoy crashed into the vehicles which were already piled up on the Yamuna Expressway, a version backed by the police. Chopra said Irani "came out of her car and immediately made calls for help. And within 10 minutes an ambulance arrived."
Smriti Irani ji's convoy had rammed into vehicles which were piled up due to the accident- Manoj Chopra, Eyewitness pic.twitter.com/OoEQOSgmvP
— ANI (@ANI_news) March 7, 2016
"Smriti Irani's convoy had reached accident spot 7-8 minutes after the accident, in which one person died and two were injured," said police official Rakesh Yadav.
Her convoy crashed into vehicles which were already piled up on Yamuna Expressway due to that accident- Rakesh Yadav pic.twitter.com/9lslozPYbR
— ANI (@ANI_news) March 7, 2016
However, police and eye-witness accounts clash with the statement of Sandili Nagar, the 16-year-old daughter of Dr Nagar, who claimed that Irani ignored her pleas to save her father who was lying on the road with severe injuries to his head.
“We were going to attend a marriage ceremony and our motor cycle’s speed was very slow. Suddenly, Smriti Irani’s vehicle hit us and our motorcycle got slipped. She came out of her car to see us. My father was lying injured on road after the mishap. I asked her to help him but she denied,” ABP quoted Sandili as saying, a charge, her brother supported.
“Our father was lying injured on spot. When Smriti Irani came down from her car, my sister pleaded before her to take our father to hospital but she ignored," ABP quoted Abhishek as saying.
My sister literally pleaded with folded hands to Smriti Irani for help,but she did not stop-Abhishek,son of victim pic.twitter.com/ez7Mgi6zaf
— ANI (@ANI_news) March 7, 2016
A Twitter user posted photos, purportedly of the FIR, alleging that the Irani got into her car and drove away from the accident site.
2/2 @smritiirani DriverRuns,Police Reg FIR after14 hrs @nsui protest gets P Lathi.Still #HeartlessIrani#Nationalistpic.twitter.com/zp5CI9IVS3
— Girish Chodankar (@girishgoa) March 6, 2016
@smritiirani Motorcade kills M/cyclist,2 kids injured yest @ Mathura, #HeartlessIrani left without hospitalising.1/2 pic.twitter.com/laK9kuNw7v
— Girish Chodankar (@girishgoa) March 6, 2016
Irani declined comment on the incident.
Contact HuffPost India
Also on HuffPost: