Shabana Azmi in hospital after accident on Mumbai-Pune Expressway, PM Modi wishes her speedy recovery
Shabana Azmi's car met with an accident on Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The actress was admitted to MGM Hospital in Panvel and was later referred to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Shabana Azmi met with accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Saturday afternoon. The actress is injured and currently in hospital.
Police informed Saturday afternoon that Shabana Azmi's car rammed into the rear of a truck near the Khalapur toll plaza, around 60 km from Mumbai, on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The SUV was severely damaged as a result of the impact. Shabana Azmi and her driver were both injured in the accident and were rushed to the MGM Hospital in Panvel. Javed Akhtar, who was also travelling in the car, was not injured.
The actress and her driver were admitted to MGM Hospital in Panvel. They were later moved to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
MGM Hospital officials said, "Shabana Azmi has got minor injuries on her nose. No other visible injuries till now. She is right now in state of shock. Treatment going on. Condition stable."
Police officials informed India Today Television, "Shabana Azmi and her driver were injured in an accident near Khalapur on Mumbai-Pune Expressway. While they were driving from Pune to Mumbai, their vehicle hit a truck on the expressway. Javed Akhtar, who was also present in the car, is safe. Both the injured have been admitted to MGM Hospital."
The officer added, "We are currently investigating the matter, taking down statements from the eyewitness and also the drivers. We will file an FIR in the matter."
A police officer from Khalapur police station said, "We have filed FIR against Amlesh Kamat driver of the car in which Shabana Azmi was travelling. The case is filed under section 279 and 337 of IPC. The complainant in the case is the truck driver Rajesh Shinde, whose truck was hit from rear by the car. Further investigations are on in the matter."
Shabana and Javed Akhtar were travelling from Pune to Mumbai when their Tata Safari hit a truck. The lyricist was not injured in the accident.
After the accident, filmmaker Hansal Mehta took to social media to ask authorities to monitor rash driving on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. He wrote, "The Mumbai-Pune expressway has always been dangerous and there is little or no monitoring to prevent rash driving. Have seen so many terrible accidents there. Hope #ShabanaAzmi is fine. Dear @OfficeofUT please improve safety on this route urgently. It is quite a death trap."
The Mumbai-Pune expressway has always been dangerous and there is little or no monitoring to prevent rash driving. Have seen so many terrible accidents there. Hope #ShabanaAzmi is fine. Dear @OfficeofUT please improve safety on this route urgently. It is quite a death trap. Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) January 18, 2020
Swara Bhasker also tweeted about Shabana's accident. She wrote, "Shabana Azmi injured in road accident on Mumbai- Pune Expressway OMG! Praying so hard."
Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor, meanwhile, requested people and the media to avoid sharing pictures of Shabana Azmi from the accident.
To all my dear friends in the media if someone has met with an accident please do not splash their pictures all over it can be extremely distressing to their family and loved ones.This is just a humble request thank you Varun SAHEJ Dhawan (@Varun_dvn) January 18, 2020
This is a request to all our friends in the media if someone has met with an accident please don’t put up those photos.Please have some empathy and sensitivity and think how distressing this can be to their family members and loved ones.Please take it down immediately.Thank you. Shraddha (@ShraddhaKapoor) January 18, 2020
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also wished the actress a speedy recovery. He wrote on Twitter, "The news of @AzmiShabana Ji's [Shabana Azmi] injury in an accident is distressing. I pray for her quick recovery."
The news of @AzmiShabana Ji's injury in an accident is distressing. I pray for her quick recovery. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 18, 2020
Raveena Tandon also wished for her speedy recovery.
My prayers and best wishes for a speedy recovery of #ShabanaAzmi ji. @AzmiShabana @Javedakhtarjadu Raveena Tandon (@TandonRaveena) January 18, 2020
Shabana Azmi and her family celebrated Javed Akhtar's 75th birthday on Friday. The celebration was attended by the who's who of Bollywood and the business world.
After Shabana Azmi was shifted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, film stars rushed to the hospital to pay her a visit. Javed Akhtar's son Farhan, along with girlfriend Shibani Dandekar, reached the hospital minutes after Azmi was admitted to Kokilaben Hospital. Tabu, Tina Ambani, Anil and Sunita Kapoor also paid a visit to the veteran actress.
(With inputs from Pankaj Khelkar and Saurabh Vaktania)
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