Jetlite orders inquiry into Modi's accident at IGI airport

New Delhi, Dec 2 (UNI) In yet another accident on the airport runway, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi was today injured when the driver of the airport coach in which he was going to board a flight to Ahmedabad applied sudden brakes to the vehicle.

Mr Modi was going to board a Jetlite flight to Ahmedabad in an airport coach provided by the airline when the accident occurred.

Jetlite officials claimed that the injury to Mr Modi happened because he, unlike others travelling by the coach, was standing during the journey between the airport lounge to the aircraft.

''Mr Modi was along with four others to take a flight to Ahmedabad this morning. As per procedure, we provided a special coach to take him to the aircraft from the airport lounge with the Jetlite staff accompanying him as escort. While the four others accompanying him sat down in the coach, Mr Modi was standing.

As the coach was nearing the aircraft, the driver had to apply sudden brakes. As a result, Mr Modi fell down and was injured,''Jetlite senior official Gary Kinshot told UNI.

Mr Kinshot said the aircraft management offered medical assistance to Mr Modi, ''which he said he did not need''.

However, BJP sources said the accident occurred due to the fault of the driver who, they alleged, was talking on his cellphone when the sudden appearance of an aircraft in front led him to apply brakes.

Mr Modi had sustained injuries in the spine and was admitted to a South Delhi hospital from where he was later discharged, the sources said.

Also accompanying Mr Modi on the bus was BJP National General Secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad.

No one else was injured in the incident.

'' Following the incident, Mr Modi and another member of his team decided not to take the flight and said they would travel to Ahmedabad tomorrow,''Mr Kinshot said.

The other three going to Ahmedabad, however, decided to take the flight to Ahmedabad, he said.

Mr Kinshot said he had suspended the driver of the airport coach and ordered an investigation into the incident.

''I have asked the investigating team to submit a report in this regard by Tuesday evening,''Mr Kinshot said.

The Deputy Chief Minister, who also hold the Finance portfolio, was on way to Ahmedabad to attend election meetings in Ahmedabad.

This is the third incident in recent months of an accident on the airport runway.

In October, an Air Deccan employee died in an accident at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. The employee Sanskriti died after she was run over by a vehicle on her way to the aircraft from the baggage counter.

Last month, a Jet Airways van collided with a tractor belonging to Air India in the apron area of Delhi airport.

No one was injured in the accident.

UNI