Odisha: Ambulance driver on way to hospital halts to have a drink, serves peg to patient
Jagatsinghpur (Odisha), Dec 20: An Ambulance driver who stopped his vehicle on the way to a hospital and offered his injured passenger a peg, while pouring himself another.
In videos that have gone viral on social media, the ambulance driver is seen making pegs, of what seems to be an alcoholic beverage, for himself and the patient, while parking his vehicle on the side of a highway in Tirtol area.
While the driver was seen gulping his peg down at one go, the patient, with one leg plastered, sipped his drink while lying down on the stretcher.
The bizarre incident came to light on Monday after bystanders took videos and uploaded those on social media.
When onlookers confronted the driver, he claimed that the patient himself had asked for a drink. A woman and a child were also seen in the ambulance.
PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.
Jagatsinghpur Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr Kshetrabasi Dash told PTI, "Since it was a private ambulance, we don't have much to say. But the RTO and the police station concerned must take action against the erring driver."
Angry over the incident, residents of the area have demanded a probe into the incident and strict action against the ambulance driver.
Jugal Kishore Das, inspector in-charge of Tirtol Police Station, said no formal complaint has been lodged and an investigation will be launched only if an FIR is registered.
Drunk driving, is, however, considered to be a traffic offence.
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Power struggle in ruling Cong has 'created massive confusion' in Karnataka: BJP leader Ashoka
Bengaluru (PTI): BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday claimed that the ongoing power struggle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar has created massive confusion in Karnataka.
He remarked that the proverb “when two people fight, the third one benefits” has come true, as AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge is also now making efforts to become Chief Minister.
Speaking to reporters here, Ashoka said the entire government has turned into a house of confusion due to the alleged power tussle.
Kharge’s new statement has only added to the chaos, he said.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had on Friday said that no date has been fixed yet to discuss possible leadership change in Karnataka.
This came a day after Kharge said there was no change of CM in Karnataka "for now" and that the leadership issue in the state would be resolved soon.
The BJP leader said that Kharge too has aspirations and that he was cheated earlier.
"Perhaps he has received a green signal from the Congress high command to become CM. Everyone is already saying Kharge should become CM. Kharge himself has declared, “I am ready to become CM.” Despite many attempts in the past, he never became CM. Now he is trying to seize the opportunity," the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly said.
According to him, the situation in Congress has perfectly become a case of “two people fighting, third one benefits.”
