Karnataka Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, Brother Sustain Minor Injuries In Road Accident, Saved By Airbags

The impact of the accident was mitigated by the airbags in the vehicle, which significantly reduced the severity of the injuries.

Belagavi:Karnataka Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar and her brother Channaraj Hattiholi were injured when the car they were travelling in crashed into a tree on the outskirts of Belagavi, police said on Tuesday. The impact of the accident was mitigated by the airbags in the vehicle, which significantly reduced the severity of the injuries, they added.

According to the hospital treating them, the Minister and her MLC brother are out of danger. "She has sustained minor injuries with a mild fracture in the leg. She will be discharged in the next two days," it said.

The driver of the car and gunman too suffered minor injuries and were discharged after first aid. The incident occurred when Hebbalkar was returning from Bengaluru after attending a marriage, the police said.

In a bid to avoid running over a dog, the driver swerved and lost control of the vehicle, following which it hit a tree, Belagavi Rural Superintendent of Police Bhimashankar Guled told reporters. The car was badly damaged in this accident. The minister and others escaped as the airbags deployed on impact.