Cop slaps ex-armyman for helping ambulance pass by

TNN

Bengaluru, 04 Mar 2015: A few days ago, Bengaluru Traffic Police was lauded for creating a green corridor for an ambulance carrying a live heart. On Tuesday, a traffic police officer shamed his department by attacking an ex-serviceman, who had allowed an ambulance stuck in traffic to pass.

 

The incident took place at the Cauvery theatre junction. The ambulance was carrying blood for a patient at a Yelahanka hospital.

 

It was around 12.45pm when Nagappa Evoor, who had served with MEG of the Indian Army for 22 years, was passing by Cauvery junction. The city was experiencing heavy traffic due to rain and the ambulance ferrying A+ blood from a blood bank to the Yelahanka hospital was unable to move ahead.

 

The magic box near the junction required vehicles to take a left turn and then a U-turn after 10 metres to get back on Ballari Road. However, there is a bypass for vehicles to continue going straight on Ballari Road without taking a deviation. This bypass is blocked by a strip of plastic ribbon.

 

Nagappa, who works as a security guard, was cycling to work and was in front of the ambulance at that time. The worried ambulance driver, Basavaraju, sought Nagappa’s help. Unable to find a cop around, Nagappa decided to remove the ribbon himself and let the ambulance pass.

 

Within minutes, trouble ensued. "Soon after I let the ambulance go, a sub-inspector hurried towards me and started abusing me. Even as I was trying to explain that there was an ambulance, he tried to snatch my bicycle and started hitting me," the ex-serviceman said.

 

Even as he was suffering blows from the cop, Nagappa walked up to another constable on the road and asked him to tell his superior he had helped an ambulance to pass by. However, sub-inspector Ganganna was in no mood to listen. "I was trying to help an ambulance to move. In fact, the cops should have been doing this," he added.

 

 

The footage of the incident soon went viral on TV and social media with people expressing anger against the cop who beat up the Samaritan.

 

Ambulance driver Basavaraju acknowledged the good work done by Nagappa, saying his act helped a patient recover fast. "I was at the junction, stuck in traffic for a while and there was no one to help. The nurse in the ambulance and I were in a hurry to get to the hospital so that we can get the blood there on time. Nagappa was the only person who helped. I didn’t know what happened later as we left the junction soon after he freed the road for us. When I heard about what had happened, it was very upsetting," Basavaraju said.

 

City police commissioner MN Reddi said the sub-inspector has been suspended pending an inquiry. Soon after the incident, Reddi tweeted: "The cop has been suspended and an enquiry ordered. His action is unwarranted." He also tweeted: "But let’s not generalise. 2k traffic cops work in harsh conditions every day rain or shine!"

 

Later, senior traffic officers met Nagappa and apologized for the incident.