'108' service ambulance arrives late at accident spot in MP; driver, staffer garlanded in protest
Barwani (PTI): A '108' service ambulance arrived late at a road accident site in Madhya Pradesh's Barwani district on Tuesday, but instead of venting their ire, local residents garlanded its driver, emergency medical technician with flowers and presented them coconuts, eyewitnesses said.
This unique protest took place in Anjad town, about 20 kilometers from the district headquarters, and a senior health department official later admitted a dozen out of the 38 ambulances operating under 108 emergency response helpline in Barwani are out of service.
The eyewitnesses said the ambulance of 108 service reached about an hour after the accident to pick up people injured in a collision between two motorcycles.
Local resident Girish Chauhan informed five people were injured in the collision between two motorcycles on Barwani Road.
He said two seriously injured people were taken to the district hospital in private vehicles, while the 108 service ambulance arrived late to pick up the other three persons.
Chauhan said, "We garlanded the ambulance driver and EMT (emergency medical technician) with flowers and presented them coconuts for the delay. The 108 ambulance service in Anjad has been out of order for nearly two months. Perhaps our protest will improve the situation."
Kamlesh Chauhan, Barwani district manager of the 108 service, said Anjad's ambulances have been deployed for two days for the 'Panchakroshi Yatra', a popular pilgrimage which attracts lakhs of Lord Shiva devotees.
He said an ambulance was sent to Anjad from the district headquarters after receiving information about the accident.
Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Surekha Jamre said, "Twelve of the 38 (108 ambulances) in the district are out of service. People involved in managing them have been fined for negligence. Further fines will be imposed on those found negligent in providing services."
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RSS man's defamation case against Rahul: Key witness unavailable, hearing adjourned to Dec 20
Thane (PTI): A court in Bhiwandi in Thane district on Saturday adjourned the hearing in the criminal defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker to December 20 due to non-availability of a crucial prosecution witness.
Advocate Narayan Iyer, counsel for Rahul Gandhi, confirmed the adjournment, stating that the witness, Ashok Saykar, currently Deputy Superintendent of Police in Barshi in Solapur, could not remain present due to personal reasons.
Saykar's evidence is now likely to be recorded on December 29.
His testimony is considered key because he, as police sub inspector in 2014, conducted the preliminary inquiry into the private defamation matter under Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
It was on the basis of Saykar's submitted report that the court subsequently issued process (summons) against Rahul Gandhi under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The criminal defamation case was filed by local RSS worker Rajesh Kunte following a speech given by Rahul Gandhi at an election rally near Bhiwandi on March 6, 2014.
The case stems from the Congress leader's alleged statement that "the RSS people killed (Mahatma) Gandhi."
The matter is being heard by Bhiwandi Joint Civil Judge, Junior Division, P M Kolse.
The hearing had previously been adjourned on November 15 after the complainant's counsel, Advocate Prabodh Jaywant, moved an application seeking permission to examine Saykar, who had submitted the probe report to the court.
The matter was originally scheduled for November 29 but was deferred to December 6 after Rahul Gandhi's legal team sought an adjournment citing their non-availability. The proceedings will now resume on December 20.
