The ambulance that crashed into a toll booth killing four people on Wednesday, July 20, was trying to avoid a cow sitting in the middle of the road, new CCTV footage shows. Shocking visuals had emerged on Wednesday showing the speeding ambulance swerving and flipping before crashing into the Byndoor-Shiroor toll gate in Udupi district.
A new CCTV video from a different angle shows a cow sitting in the middle of the road, and toll booth employees suddenly realise that there is a small gap between the cow and another barricade, which may be an obstacle for the ambulance. One toll booth employee is seen hurriedly trying to move the cow out of the way. Another toll booth employee tries to remove the barricade. However, the speeding ambulance is seen zooming into the frame and flipping over before ramming into the booth. Three people are flung out of the ambulance as it topples over and crashes to a halt. The toll booth employee trying to move the barricade is also run over. Miraculously, the cow escapes unhurt in the accident and is seen walking away.
A Byndoor police official told TNM that a cow was sitting on the road when the accident took place, but that they are also investigating whether the ambulance was overspeeding. The CCTV video indicates that the ambulance driver tried to immediately apply the brakes after the cow was spotted on the roa, but lost control of the vehicle as it was raining and the roads were wet. The police will also be investigating whether there was any negligence on the part of the toll booth employees in failing to clear the path of the ambulance on time. "We can't deny the negligence of the toll gate employees but a full investigation is ongoing,” a police official from Byndoor police station told TNM.
Actually ambulance driver spotted cow suddenly and the cow was in the middle of toll road and he might avoid the cow so done this accident. The cow seen in this video. pic.twitter.com/kmBiJssQFU
— Chandramohan S (@chandratumkur) July 20, 2022