politics

Rahul Gandhi’s convoy involved in collision on Purvanchal Expressway; Congress leader safe

26 October 2026

Party workers, officials, and several security personnel were injured in the collision. It is reported that the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha is safe

Visuals of the vehicles involved in the collision on the Purvanchal Expressway on October 26, 2026.

At least four vehicles and an ambulance, part of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s convoy, collided under Haliapur police station area of Sultanpur district at Purvanchal Expressway on Monday (October 26, 2026).

Some Congress party members and several security personnel were reportedly injured. Mr. Gandhi’s vehicle was ahead of the site of the crash, and the Congress leader is safe. This accident happened near the 91 km milestone on the Purvanchal Expressway.

Mr. Gandhi landed in Lucknow in the morning as he is set to appear before a special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur, which is set to pronounce its verdict in a defamation case against him today (October 26, 2026).

The matter pertains to a defamation case in which a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, filed a complaint against Mr. Gandhi in August 2018 accusing him of making objectionable comments against Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the 2018 Karnataka Assembly polls. At the time, Mr. Shah was also president of the party.

The case has been ongoing for years, and the Congress leader had appeared before the MP-MLA Court Special Judge Shubham Verma on July 26, 2024, to get his statement recorded.

Mr. Gandhi has said the case was filed to gain “cheap publicity”, adding he never gave a statement against anyone that could lead to a case of defamation.

VIDEO | Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's convoy involved in a minor collision on the Purvanchal Expressway; the Congress leader is safe and no one was seriously injured. (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd) #RahulGandhi

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi being greeted by Congress supporters upon his arrival at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, in Lucknow, on October 26, 2026.

Mr. Gandhi appeared before the court in 2023 and secured bail. The court had earlier fixed October 13 for pronouncing its verdict, which was subsequently scheduled for October 26.

Rahul Gandhi / Uttar Pradesh / Indian National Congress / court