An FIR has been registered against the driver of veteran actor Shabana Azmi for rash and negligent driving, after her car met with an accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway in Maharashtra, police said on Sunday.
Azmi, 69, who was injured in the accident that took place on Saturday, is undergoing treatment at Kokilaben Ambani Hospital in suburban Andheri and is “stable”, the hospital’s executive director and CEO Dr Santosh Shetty said.
Driver Kamlesh Kamath, 38, who sustained minor injuries in the incident, was apparently trying to overtake another vehicle when Azmi’s Tata Safari car rammed into a truck near Khalapur.
Azmi’s husband, lyricist Javed Akhtar, was travelling in another car, Raigad Superintendent of Police Paraskar said on Sunday.
“We have booked driver Kamlesh Kamath under Indian Penal Code Sections 279 and 337 for rash and negligent driving and provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act. He is not yet arrested,” Paraskar said.
The car will be sent for an inspection to the regional transport office to ascertain if there was any fault in the vehicle or if the mishap took place after the driver lost control, he said.
After the incident, Azmi was first rushed to MGM Hospital in Navi Mumbai and later moved to the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital.
“We will collect Azmi’s medical report from the MGM Hospital where she was initially taken. The driver’s medical examination was also conducted and he was not found under the influence of alcohol,” Paraskar said.
Meanwhile, Shetty at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital said the actor’s health condition is “stable”.
“Azmi is recuperating. She is stable and under observation. No surgery, operation was performed during the night. She is undergoing medical treatment,” he said.
Azmi is known for her path-breaking roles in films like ‘Arth’, ‘Ankur’, ‘Paar’, ‘Masoom’ and ‘Godmother’.
Meanwhile, actors such as Swara Bhasker and Nora Fatehi are praying for Azmi’s speedy recovery.
“Shabana Azmi injured in road accident on Mumbai- Pune Expressway. OMG! Praying so hard,” Bhaskar posted.
Fatehi tweeted: “Praying for your speedy recovery! @AzmiShabana Very unfortunate!?? #ShabanaAzmi.”
Actress Rituparna Sengupta tweeted: “Just heard that @AzmiShabana ji met with an accident. Praying for her speedy recovery...Get well soon Shabana ji.”
Actress-host Tara Sharma Saluja is glad to hear Azmi is “out of danger and stable”. “Prayers for a full and speedy recovery & love from us all. @Javedakhtarjadu,” Saluja wrote.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday also expressed his concern.
“The news of @AzmiShabana Ji’s injury in an accident is distressing. I pray for her quick recovery,” he said.
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