Actor Sai Dharam Tej’s bike accident on Friday night has sent shock waves across the Tollywood fraternity.
The entire ‘mega clan’ — his brother Vaishnav Tej, uncle Pawan Kalyan, cousins Varun Tej, Niharika, Ram Charan and Upasna — rushed to Apollo hospital, where he is currently undergoing treatment, while his uncle, Megastar Chiranjeevi, has been coordinating with doctors regarding the future course of action.
The actor has suffered a collar bone fracture. According to hospital sources, Sai Tej is under assisted respiration but his condition is currently stable.
“Normally, it takes three to four months for the collar bone to heal. Even after it heals, there should be no pressure on the shoulders for some time. Considering that Sai Tej is an actor and may have to perform action sequences in films, there is a possibility that he may have to go under the knife for faster recovery,” says a source, adding that Chiranjeevi will take a final decision on Sunday.
Prakash Raj and Srikanth were among those who rushed to the hospital while other friends, colleagues and fans have been sending good wishes to Sai Tej through social media.
Madhapur DCP, Venkateshwarlu said, “The incident happened near at the Ikea junction around 8.45 pm on Friday. Sai Tej was riding a new sports bike and it fell after it skidded off the turf. He sustained injuries on the right shoulder, chest, and near the eyes. He was immediately sent to a nearby hospital for first aid.”
Police have determined that the actor was not driving under the influence of alcohol. They are currently reviewing the available CC footage to determine if there was over-speeding.
Meanwhile, a case of rash driving has been booked against the actor. Sai Tej’s statement will be recorded after he recovers sufficiently. Sai Tej was riding a Triumph, 1,160cc sports bike costing around '18 lakh. A bike enthusiast, he has four sports bikes, including one gifted by Pawan Kalyan and another by his mother. He regularly updates his Insta followers about his bike rides and shares bike photos too.
Actor Naresh says his son Naveen, also a bike enthusiast and a close friend of Sai Tej, had left his home along with Sai Tej on Friday night, for different places. The news of Sai Tej’s accident reached them a little after Naveen returned home, and the latter immediately rushed to the spot.
“Since these are 1,000 cc sports bikes they need to be handled very carefully. In fact, I met with an accident in 1996 while shooting. It was a major one; I had scars and bruises all over my face and people wrote me off, saying I would not make a comeback in films. I was hospitalised for four months. I promised my mother I would quit bike riding,” recalls Naresh.
According to latest health updates, the actor is responding well to treatment under the care of Dr Alok Ranjan and team. Surgery for collar bone will be booked in the next 24 hours.
