Hyderabad activists say cops not allowing essential services like medicine delivery

Actor Nikhil Siddhartha, who has been helping with medicine and oxygen requests on social media, said he was stopped by the Hyderabad police when he was on his way to deliver medicines.
Residents being checked by police on the road
Residents being checked by police on the road
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While the Telangana police are ‘strictly’ enforcing the lockdown after Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s orders, complaints have been pouring in from residents that even delivery of essential services like medicines is also being halted, putting patients’ life at risk in some cases. On Sunday, actor Nikhil Siddhartha, who has been actively helping with medicine and oxygen requests on social media, was also allegedly stopped by the Hyderabad police when he was on his way to deliver medicines in spite of having a prescription.

The actor took to Twitter to post about the incident. Nikhil tweeted: “Was on the way to deliver emergency life saving medicines from Uppal to KIMS minister road. In spite of providing the prescription and patient details, was stopped and asked to get an Epass. Tried 9 times (to get an epass) but the server is down. I thought medical emergencies were allowed!!!”

The actor also posted photos of him being stopped while he was in his car, however, there were no photos of either the medicines or the prescription in the tweet. Meanwhile, similar complaints are being raised by other citizens as well on social media. They said that they were not being allowed to travel to distribute medicines to the needy, despite having an emergency pass. Volunteers helping with COVID-19 services requested the Telangana police not to halt the delivery of essential services like food and medicines.

Sai Teja, a social activist, who has been volunteering to provide services to COVID-19 patients in Hyderabad, told TNM, “This is a very pathetic situation as the Hyderabad city police are hampering medicine delivery also. The ground-level staff are very reluctant to listen to the people’s concerns.”

Highlighting one such instance, the activist replied to the SR Nagar Station House Officer in a tweet: “No sir the information which you have got from ground staff is wrong. There is a pass on our car. After showing these things also that PC (Police Constable) was very reluctant to allow us. He was saying he needs (to be shown) a day pass from Telangana cops then only he will allow. Not sure who told to stop medicines.”

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