Mysuru: Noted farmer leader Kurubur Shanthakumar sustained serious injuries in a car accident near Patiala in Punjab yesterday.

Kurubur Shanthakumar was travelling in a car to take part in the first round of talks called by the Union Government with the agitating farmers of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) led by Jagjit Singh Dallewal and other farmer organisations at Chandigarh on Friday.

As the car was travelling near Patiala, it crashed into a road divider, when Kurubur Shanthakumar, who is also the South India Convenor of SKM, sustained serious injuries, following which he was rushed to a Patiala hospital.

Tamil Nadu farmer leader T.R. Pandian, who was also travelling in the car along with Shanthakumar, is said to have escaped with minor injuries.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna is said to be making efforts to airlift the seriously injured Shanthakumar to a Bengaluru hospital  today.