Indian foreign minister recovering after crash

Apr 8, 2007, 12:42 GMT

New Delhi - Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who was injured in a road accident in eastern West Bengal state, is recovering and there is no cause for concern, an official said Sunday.

Mukherjee, 71, suffered injuries on the head, collarbone and knee after his car was hit head on by a truck in Murshidabad district of West Bengal about 100 kilometres north of West bengal capital Kolkata on Saturday.

After initial treatment at a local health centre, Mukherjee, who is number two in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's cabinet, was flown to the army referral hospital in New Delhi Sunday.

'A CT scan of the brain is normal. He is quite well and cheerful. All his parametres are normal and there is no cause for concern. He will be kept under observation for the next 48 hours,' OP Mathew, an official at the army hospital said.

Mukherjee was on his way to Kolkata when his car suffered a tyre burst following which the driver lost control leading to the collision with a loaded truck, reports said.

Four others, including Mukherjee's driver and security guard were also injured in the accident. Two of them were in serious condition, PTI news agency reported.