Bharat Bandh takes toll on ambulances, two patients die due to shocking apathy

A child died in Bihar's Hajipur while being taken to the hospital, while the son of a 68-year-old man had to put his father on his shoulder once the ambulance they were in was halted in UP's Bijnor. His sprint proved to be tragically inadequate.

Protesters in Muzzaffarnagar set cars ablaze during Bharat Bandh. Similar scenes were witnessed in several other cities. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: At least two instances of patients in ambulances dying were reported from across the country on Monday when Bharat Bandh called by Dalit groups crippled law and order situation in many cities.

While a child being taken to a hospital died in Bihar's Hajipur in Vaishali district because his ambulance was not allowed to move forward by protesters, a 68-year-old man lost his life in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor as he could not receive emergency medical treatment on time.

In the first incident, the ailing child was being taken to the local hospital when the ambulance reached an area where a massive protest was being held. Despite its blaring siren, the ambulance failed to find a clear passage and had to crawl forward through a sea of demonstrators. It was not good enough though as the innocent life inside was lost eventually. The situation in Bijnor was even more tragic as once his ambulance was halted, the 68-year-old man's son - in an act of sheer desperation - hoisted him on his shoulders and attempted to reach the hospital on foot. His 1-kilometre sprint proved to be inadequate as his father was declared dead on arrival.

In all, at least 10 people died across the country on a day which saw protesters burning public property, pelting stones, vandalising shops and obstructing road and rail traffic. They were protesting the 'dilution' of the provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.