HYDERABAD: A three-year-old boy died on Monday allegedly due to short supply of oxygen in the private ambulance in which he was being shifted to Hyderabad from Adilabad district headquarters.
The ambulance driver fled from the spot after stopping the vehicle mid-way near a Public Health Centre.
The boy, Shaik Faizan, from Islamnagar in Ichoda mandal headquarters suffered severe injuries last evening when he was hit by an auto while playing near his house. Faizan was shifted to the district headquarters hospital, Rajiv Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), where doctors gave him treatment till Monday morning. However, as his condition worsened, the doctors asked Faizan's parents to shift the boy to Hyderabad for better treatment.
The family members hired a private ambulance to transport the boy to Hyderabad, which is nearly 300 km away from RIMS, Adilabad. However, as soon as the vehicle travelled for 30 km, the driver found that the oxygen was short of supply and he took back the vehicle to Ichoda PHC where he abandoned the vehicle and fled sensing that he might come under attack.
Shocked family members took another vehicle to shift Faizan back to RIMS hospital at Adilabad but by the time they reached RIMS, Faizan was dead. Later, the angry family members staged a protest demanding action against the ambulance driver.
Police have registered a case against the ambulance driver and are investigating.