Union minister Ramdas Athawale meets with car accident in Maharashtra

Pune: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale's car was involved in an accident on Thursday inside the Khambatki tunnel on the Satara-Mumbai highway in Maharashtra due to a pile-up of vehicles, according to the police.

The minister and his wife, who were in the car, did not suffer any injuries in the incident that took place around 6 pm, said a police official from Satara.

The Dalit leader, who heads the Republican Party of India (Athawale), was returning to Mumbai after attending a programme in Panchgani in Satara district at the time, he said.

A vehicle had a flat tyre inside the tunnel. As the driver attempted to change it, another car rammed into it, triggering a pile-up involving many other trailing vehicles, he said.

Among those caught in the pile-up was Athawale's vehicle, along with a police van, the official said.

There were no reported injuries, and the damage sustained by the minister’s car was minor.

Following the accident, the minister and his wife continued their journey to Mumbai, he added.