KHAMMAM: A man reportedly died after an ambulance alerted at 9.35 am reached the Government Area Hospital in Manuguru around 11.30 am, having travelled less than 10 km, only for doctors to declare him dead. His family attributed the delay to a traffic jam allegedly caused by sand-laden trucks on Monday.
According to police, the man from Pinapaka mandal in Bhadradri Kothagudem district had consumed pesticide, following which his family sought emergency medical help. However, the ambulance reportedly got stuck near the Ramanujavaram sand ramp loading point, where sand trucks parked along the roadside had severely disrupted movement on the single-lane road.
With the victim unconscious, family members and residents were forced to carry him on their arms through a queue of stranded vehicles to reach the ambulance . The vehicle then took a longer route via Sambayigudem and Ramanujavaram before reaching the hospital.
Locals said sand trucks often line up for nearly two kilometres on the stretch, causing frequent traffic snarls. They blamed poor regulation by sand ramp operators and inadequate enforcement.
Manuguru DSP M Ravinder Reddy said action has been initiated against those responsible.