A vehicle is racing behind a white SUV, its loud siren making it clear that it’s an ambulance. But try as the ambulance driver might, the white SUV just doesn’t let the ambulance overtake, though the driver honks non-stop at it.
In the 3-minute video that is being circulated on social media, it is quite clear that the narrow road with two-way traffic is not wide enough for the ambulance driver to aggressively overtake the SUV. But there are clearly plenty of chances for the SUV to pull off the road and let the ambulance to pass.
The ambulance driver can be heard screaming at the driver, even as he honks desperately for place to move past. But the SUV is relentless, constantly blocking the ambulance’s way.
The incident recorded on video took place on Wednesday evening, when an ambulance was transporting a new-born infant from the Perumbavoor Taluk Hospital to the Kalamassery Medical College hospital in the evening. For more than ten minutes, the SUV blocked the ambulance’s progress on its desperate journey.
Ambulance driver PK Madhu told media persons that the SUV had nearly doubled the ambulance’s journey time by blocking it for such a long period.
"The car came in front of us from near Rajagiri hospital. The car had its hazard lights on and did not give us way even at places where it could. Because of this, the journey that would have normally taken me 15-20 minutes, took at least 35 minutes. That too, when the baby was in a critical condition," he said.
The Aluva police have identified the vehicle owner as Nirmal Jose, a 25-year-old youth from Aluva. Although he absconded soon after the incident, he later surrendered on Thursday night, the police said.
"We recorded his arrest. He claims that he was driving pilot for the ambulance. But we don't think he is telling the truth. There were chances, when he could have let the ambulance go, but did not do so. We have booked him under IPC section 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way)," Aluva Circle-Inspector Vishal told TNM.
According to the police, Nirmal Jose works in one of the Gulf nations.