Pawar said he was with three others including 90-year-old surgeon Sharad Hardikar when the incident took place. (File)LEADER OF Opposition and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar had a narrow escape when the lift of a hospital building plummeted down from the fourth floor after a power failure on Saturday.
The incident took place at a hospital in Pune city. Ajit Pawar spoke about the incident at an event in Baramati on Sunday.
Pawar said he was with three others including 90-year-old surgeon Sharad Hardikar when the incident took place.
Speaking at the public event in Baramati, Pawar said, “Yesterday I did not utter a word about this incident. I told others too now to talk about it, otherwise it would have become ‘breaking news’. I went home and did not say anything to (wife) Sunetra or my mother. I am sharing it with you because you are like family and I could not contain it within,” said Pawar.
“Yesterday, on 14th January, I had gone to inaugurate a hospital. At that time, we were on the third floor and were climbing the fourth floor. They told me to take the lift, I said I would climb. But finally, four of us – including 90-year-old Dr Hardikar got into the lift… The lift then stopped, then the power went off and there was pitch darkness and the lift came down from the fourth floor to the bottom with a thud. I am not lying, but today it would have been a Shraddhanjali event. …He (pointing to someone on the stage) was with me, he almost broke open the lift and pulled me out. Then we helped Dr Hardikar out. He received minor injuries,” said Pawar.
There has been a spate of motor vehicle accidents in the state involving political leaders. Among those who have met with accidents in last few weeks include BJP MLA Jaykumar Gore, Prahar’s Bacchu Kadu, and NCP’s Dhananjay Mundhe.