Koena escapes car accident

By: Upala KBR, Mid-Day
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Koena Mitra is still recovering from the near-fatal accident that took place when she was returning to Mumbai from Pune in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Recounting the incident, Koena says, "I was returning after performing for the Idea show in Pune.

It was around 1.30 am and we were about 500 metres from Panvel.

I had switched off the music and was dozing when I was jolted awake by a weird sound, after which my car suddenly swerved to the right. The rubber on my car's right tyre had melted, making the car lost control."

Topsy-turvy

Koena recounts her post-midnight nightmare, saying, "My driver, Ramzaan, was trying to stop the car from careening and smashing into the fencing, while I was trying to call my organizers, Wizcraft, to ask for another car.

Finally, he managed some semblance of control as the car kept swerving from right and left. His presence of mind prevented the car from turning upside down.

It was scary as I was looking behind to see whether any trucks or buses were behind us."

Koena finally got through to the organisers and asked for another car. "They sent another car and got in touch with the police control room, who sent reinforcements.

The cops stayed with us till we changed the tyres. I was too scared to sit in the car again, so while they were fixing the tyre I sat on the roadside. Finally, an hour and a half later, we started driving again.

I made sure we didn't drive at more than 40 kmph!"

Big is better

The cops have an explanation as to why freak accidents like these happened and why she got saved, says Koena.

"They said tyres get rubbed on concrete roads and cause a lot of friction, making the rubber burn and melt.

I got saved because my car, which is a Lexus, is big and heavy. Smaller and lighter cars would have gone off the road."

Recent Stories
Feroz Khan turns builder
Is KJO really inviting controversies?

Archives