Woman patient suffers as ambulance held up in rally

Dharamshala, Nov 29 (UNI) A woman patient here suffered today as her ambulance was caught in a jam caused by show of strength by candidates of different political parties before they filed their nomination papers in the SDM office at Kangra. The incident brought back the memory of the tragic incident of an ailing child's death in Shimla some time ago due to a similar jam caused by two political rallies.

The woman patient, who was being carried in an ambulance, was caught in a the rally on way to the SDM office led by Mr G S Bali from his residence.

The frantic attempts of her family members to make political activists give way and pleas to police to extend help were to no avail.

The driver of the ambulance honked the siren continuously but it was drowned in the din of slogan shouting. One of the attendants in the front seat of the ambulance was seen crying and weeping but the ambulance was not given way.

It was only after Mr Bali reached the SDM's office that the driver managed to whisk away the patient via Purana Kangra.

Later, people who were agitated by the trauma suffered by the patient commented that politicians as well as police had learnt no lessons from the Shimla tragedy.

They also demanded that the Election Commission should direct all the candidates in the state to ensure that their supporters provided way to ambulances and other vehicles in case of emergencies.

UNI