Midway to court, Rahul Gandhi escapes unhurt as convoy collision on Purvanchal Expressway leaves several injured

Lucknow: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was reported safe after vehicles travelling as part of his convoy collided on the Purvanchal Expressway in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, October 26.

Several people, including Congress workers and security personnel, were reportedly injured in the incident. Further details about the injured and the circumstances surrounding the collision were awaited.

The accident took place in the Haliyapur area of Sultanpur district as Gandhi was travelling from Lucknow to Sultanpur to attend proceedings in a criminal defamation case. Initial reports indicated that multiple vehicles in the convoy were involved in the collision near the expressway's 90-km stretch.

Some reports said five vehicles and an ambulance were involved, though the exact sequence of events and the number of injured people were not immediately clear. 

Gandhi had arrived at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow earlier in the day.

Congress workers and local party leaders gathered at the airport to welcome him before he continued by road to Sultanpur.

The collision occurred as the Congress leader headed to a special MP/MLA court, where a verdict was scheduled in a defamation case dating back to 2018.

The case stems from alleged remarks Gandhi made about Union Home Minister Amit Shah, then BJP president.

Vijay Mishra, a local BJP leader, filed the complaint after Gandhi allegedly made the comments during a press conference in Bengaluru.

The proceedings have continued through the legal process, with the court examining the complaint and both sides' arguments.

Gandhi's appearance in Sultanpur drew political attention, given the high-profile case and its connection to two prominent political figures.

He was scheduled to appear in court, which was why he visited the district on Monday.

The expressway collision added an unexpected development to the Congress leader's journey. While initial reports said Gandhi was unharmed, information about the condition of those injured, the extent of damage to the vehicles and the precise cause of the accident remained limited.

The incident was still developing, and authorities were expected to provide more information. As more details emerged, authorities were expected to provide updates on the injured and the court proceedings.