Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, May 28: In another incident that shows the extent to which the people can go to force the other person to cough up money by making use of his or her predicament in the guise of coronavirus, an ambulance driver who was carrying the mortal remains of a Covid19 patient dropped off the body on the footpath and sped away. He did this reportedly as the family could not afford to pay him Rs 18,000 which he demanded from them.
Inhuman incidents often get reported in the midst of stories which exemplify the human side of the citizens during trying times. Many people have behaved as if for them, money is all that matters.
Amruthahalli police station (file photo)
The driver of an ambulance in this incident, behaved rudely with the family of the deceased. It happened near the Hebbal crematorium. When the body of the Covid-infected person was taken there for cremation, the ambulance driver reportedly sought payment of Rs 18,000. As they could not pay the money, he just kept the body on the footpath and sped away. The driver has been identified as Sharat Gowda.
Anuj Singh, who was being treated for his Covid infection for the last some days, had breathed his last. The body was being taken to Hebbal crematorium when Sharat Gowda reportedly demanded Rs 18,000 from Anuj's wife. The woman somehow put together Rs 3,000 and offered to pay the balance amount to the driver after sometime. When the ambulance neared the crematorium, the driver forced the woman to pay the balance amount immediately. The lady pleaded with him for some time, explaining that at the moment, she did not have money and promised to pay sometime later. But the driver, instead of showing mercy on the woman who lost her husband just then, put down the body from the ambulance on the footpath and went away.
Complaint in this regard has since been filed in the police station against driver Sharat Gowda and Nagesh.
The staff of the crematorium, hearing the wails of the woman, came out and carried the body inside. Later, the in-charge of the crematorium filed complaint in Amruthahalli police station. The police are now on the lookout for the accused.
It may be recalled that the health minister, deputy chief minister and orders of the state government have repeatedly asserted that tough steps would be taken if injustice is noticed when carrying the bodies of the Covid19 victims. Still, incidents of these kinds continue to happen. People feel that if the guilty are identified and brought to book early, it might serve as a warning to others who too may be inclined to turn inhuman for the sake of money.