Assam suspends four officers after ambulance halted for chief minister’s convoy
Four police personnel in India’s Assam state have been suspended after an ambulance carrying a critically ill man was stopped while Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s convoy passed through Silchar. Sarma apologised and ordered measures to prevent emergency vehicles being obstructed during VIP movements.
Four police personnel in Assam, India, have been suspended after an ambulance carrying a critically ill patient was stopped to allow Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s convoy to pass through Silchar. The ambulance was carrying 42-year-old Rasaraj Chakraborty from Sribhumi district to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for advanced treatment of a liver-related illness. Police stopped it at the Ramnagar ISBT point on Wednesday as the convoy moved through the area, according to reports cited in the supplied material.
Video showing the ambulance waiting while the convoy passed later circulated on social media and prompted public criticism. The four officers were suspended and face a departmental inquiry for alleged negligence of duty. Chakraborty died at the hospital at about 6am on Thursday while undergoing treatment.
The hospital’s principal, Abhijit Swami, said he had liver cirrhosis. A family member said the ambulance was delayed for nearly 30 minutes but that Chakraborty had already been in critical condition and the delay was not responsible for his death. Sarma apologised to the patient’s family and described the incident as unacceptable.
He said no chief minister’s passage should take priority over a person requiring urgent medical care. The chief minister also said he did not believe the short halt was connected to Chakraborty’s death, while stressing that he opposed stopping ambulances for VIP convoys. The supplied reports distinguish the medical cause of death from the controversy over the traffic stoppage.
Following the incident, the Assam government directed officials to ensure that ambulances and other emergency vehicles were not obstructed during VIP movements. It said the chief minister’s convoy could be stopped when necessary and should be reduced to the minimum vehicles required for security and essential operations. Ministers, lawmakers and officials attending the same programmes were also directed not to travel alongside the convoy.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.