Bageshwar: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered an investigation into the overcharging by ambulance operators which recently forced a woman to transport her brother's body tied to the roof of a cab. The CM has also directed strict action against those responsible. “Such negligence will not be tolerated,” said Dhami, asking Health Secretary Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar to provide a detailed incident report and ensure adequate ambulance services. The Chief Minister has given strict instructions to the officials that such incidents should not be repeated.
In a tragic incident, a woman was forced to transport her brother’s body tied to the roof of a taxi from Haldwani to Berinag here in Uttarakhand, after private ambulance operators reportedly demanded exorbitant charges after her brother's death. The incident occurred in Pithoragarh district on December 7, highlighting alleged negligence and a lack of facilities in the state.
It is learnt that Shivani, a resident of Tamoli Gweir village, works in Haldwani and had recently brought her brother, Abhishek, to the city for work. On December 6, Abhishek complained of a headache at his workplace and went back to his rented room. Later, police informed Shivani that her brother had been found unconscious near a railway track. He was rushed to Sushila Tiwari Hospital, where he was declared dead as per officials.
Following the postmortem, Shivani sought an ambulance to transport the body 195 km to her village. However, ambulance operators reportedly demanded Rs 10,000–15,000, which she could not afford, she said. Left with no choice, she was forced to arrange a taxi and tied the body to its roof due to limited space.