MYSURU: An ambulance carrying a pregnant woman in Mandya was allegedly stopped to make way for the Chief Minister’s convoy, forcing her to walk 300 metres to reach the government hospital, on Monday. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was visiting Nagamangala to launch some development works.
It is alleged that the police refused to allow the ambulance to proceed towards the hospital as the chief minister’s convoy was expected at any time.
The video footage of the pregnant woman walking with members of her family went viral on social media, evoking criticism against police.
The incident occurred when Siddaramaiah, who arrived in Nagamangala by helicopter at 11.30 am, proceeded to lay the foundation stone for Kanaka Bhavan via B M Road. The police stopped all vehicles plying on Chamarajnagar-Jewargi National Highway and B G S Circle at T B Extension.
The ambulance, which was caught in between vehicles, was stopped in front of the KSRTC bus stand by the police.
When the policemen in-charge of the Chief Minister’s security did not respond to the ambulance siren, the pregnant woman got down along with her family members and walked towards the hospital. The police offered no vehicle to drop her to the hospital.
When questioned, Circle Inspector Dhanraj said they had stopped all vehicles on the highway to allow the Chief Minister’s convoy to move and that police didn’t hear the ambulance siren due to the sound of other vehicles near the bus stand.
He added they would have tried to make the way for the ambulance, had the woman’s caretakers alerted the policemen on duty. Dhanraj asserted that police were not negligent in this matter.