Chidambaram injured while trying to avoid a lensman

Federal Minister for Finance P Chidambaram sufferred a fracture in his toe while trying to avoid a photojournalist, who was trying to shoot his pictures outside a restaurant in Bangalore.

Police sources said Chidambaram, who was on a private visit to Bangalore, came to a restaurant on St Marks Road in Bangalore in different attire unlike the traditional white dhoti and shirt he normally wears. Chidambaram had firmly turned down the repeated requests of the photographer for a picture as he and his family were on a private visit.

The Minister and his family comprising his wife, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter, were perturbed when they noticed the photographer waiting outside the restaurant after dinner. A scuffle is reported to have taken place during which Chidambaram missed a step, tripped and fell down, leading to a fracture in the toe of his right foot.

According to an official press statement, photographer started taking photographs when the family came out of the restaurant. “Chidambaram’s son and a friend took objection. In order to avoid the photographer, Chidambaram moved to the right, missed a step, tripped and fell. He sufferred a fracture of the toe and a plaster cast has been put on the right foot”, the statement said.

Soon after the incident, Chidambaram was taken to the Manipal Hospital on Airport Road, where an orthopaedic surgeon attended to him. “Chidambaram was treated in the outpatient department. He was here for about 45 minutes. It was a very minor case”, a hospital official said.

Meanwhile, the Resident Editor of the newspaper and the photographer involved in the incident have apologized to the Chidambaram and his family.