JAGATHY SREEKUMAR INJURED IN ROAD ACCIDENT

JAGATHY SREEKUMAR

INJURED IN ROAD ACCIDENT

Malayalam film actor Jagathy Sreekumar is in a critical condition following a car accident at Panambara on NH 17 in Malappuram on Saturday morning.(11^th March,2012.) The 61-year-old comedian was on his way to Kodagu in Karnataka from Chalakkudy when the Toyota Innova car he was travelling in crashed into a median around 4.45am. Car driver Anil Kumar was also seriously injured. Sreekumar underwent a surgery to stop internal bleeding at Malabar Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS). He suffered injuries to his neck, chest, abdomen and legs, besides multiple fractures. Doctors said he would be under observation for 48 hours in the intensive care unit. Driver Kumar was also shifted to the ICU.

Witnesses said the actor was on the front seat of the car. Local residents, with help from drivers of trucks that were passing by, pulled out the injured duo from the car, and rushed them to MIMS. Sreekumar was immediately shifted to the operation theatre, and a team comprising doctors from various departments was formed to attend on him.The actor was on his way to the location of Idavapathy, a film by Lenin Rajendran.

K. Varma, who led the surgical team which performed a surgery on the actor’s stomach to stop internal bleeding, told reporters that the operation was successful. “This is a good indication, but still the next 48 hours are very crucial for him. He has now been put on ventilator,” Varma has been quoted by IANS. “He requires a few more surgeries as he has got multiple injuries and with one now over, the team of doctors will now decide about the other surgeries to be performed.” Venugopal, chief of the 10-member panel of doctors treating the ace comedian, had said earlier in the day that the actor suffered multiple injuries. Sreekumar has acted in more than 1,000 Malayalam films.
Hearing the news of the accident, numerous film personalities have been arriving to find out his condition, IANS added. Malayalam director B. Unnikrishnan tweeted: “Shocked to hear abt Jagathy Chettan. Come back, you can’t let us wait in sorrow and anxiety. Get well soon.” South Indian actor Mammootty posted: “All our prayers are with Jagathy Sreekumar, we need the great actor back to action. Pray for him.” The accident occurred near the Kozhikode University campus around 4:30am when the car carrying the actor hit a divider, according to the police. The driver of the car escaped with minor injuries, while the actor was badly hurt. Sreekumar was on his way from Thrissur in northern Kerala to Coorg in Karnataka to film director Lenin Rajendran’s latest project.

                                                                       Prof. John Kurakar