Bengaluru: Renowned Indian motorcycle racer C S Santosh has been put under a medically-induced coma after he crashed on Wednesday during the ongoing Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. He was airlifted from the site to a hospital in Riyadh after the crash.
Bengaluru-origin Santosh (37) was representing Hero MotoSports in Dakar Rally, one of the world’s biggest rallies. He is under a 24-hour observation at present.
As per reports, Santosh crashed around 135km into the race on a gravel track. He was forced to forfeit the stage.
Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Hero MotorSports said, “In an unfortunate incident, @cs_santosh22 suffered a crash in Stage 4 of #Dakar2021 today. He has been taken to a hospital in Riyadh. In the initial assessment, he seems stable. Join us in wishing him a speedy recovery.”
In an unfortunate incident, @cs_santosh22 suffered a crash in Stage 4 of #Dakar2021 today. He has been taken to a hospital in Riyadh. In the initial assessment, he seems stable.
Join us in wishing him a speedy recovery. pic.twitter.com/ePbtRIsBcT— Hero MotoSports (@hero_motosports) January 6, 2021
According to a PTI report, the racer is suspected to have suffered a head injury in the crash and reportedly, he was conscious when paramedics arrived on the scene after the crash, before he was rushed to the hospital in Riyadh.
It can be recalled that last year, Hero MotoSport rider Paulo Goncalves died while competing in the Dakar 2020, following which the company withdrew from the rally.
The Dakar Rally is considered to be the world’s most gruelling off-road motorsport event. Santosh was the first Indian to complete the race in 2015, after which he made it to two more editions.
(With PTI inputs)