Patient dies after ambulance held up for using red beacon

An 80-year-old heart patient died due to delay in medical aid after the ambulance carrying him was allegedly held up for 30 minutes by a court officer for using a red beacon here.

Describing the incident as "bloody mindlessness", Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he will take up the matter with the state High Court.

The family of Abdul Rehman Dar alleged that traffic cops stopped the ambulance at Seelu in Sopore area over the use of red beacon and siren yesterday while he was being taken to SKIMS hospital Srinagar from north Kashmir after suffering a heart attack.

Dar, a resident of Handwara, breathed his last at the hospital soon after his arrival, the family said claiming that "inordinate delay had led to his death".

The cops had stopped the ambulance asking the driver to remove the red beacon and siren in view of the Supreme Court ruling on the matter yesterday.

Reacting to media reports, Omar sought a report from Inspector General of Police about the incident and later took to micro-blogging site Twitter.com promising to take up the matter with the High Court as the ambulance was not stopped by police but by a mobile magistrate.

"The ambulance was not stopped by police but by mobile magistrate who is a court officer. Will be formally taking up with High Court," he said.

"Just saw the @ibnlive piece about the ambulance stopped because of a siren. Cannot believe the sheer bloody mindlessness of that action," Omar had said earlier.