Rishabh Pant accident: What really happened?
Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant was injured in a major car accident around 5.30am on Friday. The wicketkeeper-batsman was on his way home in Roorkee at Narsan in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar district from Delhi when the accident took place on the Delhi-Dehradun highway. His Mercedes-Benz GLE reportedly collided with a divider, turned a few times, and caught fire.
The cricketer’s condition is stated to be stable. He reportedly suffered injuries to his forehead, the right knee, a hand, and his back. Initial reports said he may have also fractured a leg, though unconfirmed reports later claimed he did not.
The BCCI, in a statement, said: “Rishabh has two cuts on his forehead, a ligament tear in his right knee and has also hurt his right wrist, ankle, toe and has suffered abrasion injuries on his back. Rishabh’s condition remains stable, and he has now been shifted to Max Hospital, Dehradun, where he will undergo MRI scans to ascertain the extent of his injuries and formulate his further course of treatment.”
The Times of India quoted a senior police officer as saying, “He is conscious and able to talk. The car he was driving was completely burnt. He is lucky to survive the severe accident.”
How it happened
When the car hit the divider on the Narsan border near Hammadpur Jhal, the sound was so loud that villagers living nearby and local policemen ran to check what had happened. By then, the car had turned a few times and caught fire.
It is not yet clear how Pant got out of the burning car. While TOI quoted Swapn Kishor Singh, SP, Haridwar (rural) as saying that the villagers and policemen pulled him out of the car and brought the blaze under control, India Today reported the Director General of Uttarakhand Police, Ashok Kumar, as claiming that the cricketer broke the windscreen to escape.
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Anyhow, he was initially rushed to Saksham Hospital on Delhi Road, but referred to Max Hospital in Dehradun from there. The severity of the accident can be judged from the horrifying condition of the Mercedes he was driving. It was wrecked and charred beyond recognition. Pant was alone in the car and, according to reports quoting police sources, possibly fell asleep while driving.
According to police sources quoted in media reports, the car has been taken away for investigation. Since the car got totally charred, it was not possible to know immediately whether the airbags opened and possibly saved the young cricketer’s life.
Prayer for Pant
Twitter has been full of prayers and wishes for the young sportsperson ever since news of the accident came in. “Wishing dear @RishabhPant17 a super speedy recovery. Bahut hi Jald swasth ho jaao,” wrote former cricketer Virender Sehwag.
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Sehwag’s once teammate and another veteran cricketer VVS Laxman tweeted, “Praying for Rishabh Pant. Thankfully he is out of danger. Wishing @RishabhPant17 a very speedy recovery. Get well soon Champ.”
Another veteran Jhulan Goswami wrote, “Wishing a speedy recovery to @RishabPant17. Our prayers and wishes are always with you. Get well soon.”
Former cricketer and current BJP MP Gautam Gambhir wrote, “Wishing a very speedy & full recovery to Rishabh! Take care @RishabhPant17”
Veteran cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle tweeted, “Thinking about Rishabh Pant this morning and desperately hoping he is fine and recovers soon.”
Also read: Rishabh Pant released from Indian ODI squad in Bangladesh
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami tweeted in Hindi, “I have received the new of Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant’s unfortunate road accident. The state government has directed that all arrangements for his treatment be made. I pray to God for his speedy recovery.”
Pant, who played a key role in India’s two-Test series win against Bangladesh recently, was left out of the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka, as he was supposed to join the NCA for a strength and conditioning programme ahead of February’s Border Gavaskar Trophy.
(With agency inputs)
