Top official transferred over patient's death in J&K

HC acts on media reports, orders probe into matter

Jammu and Kashmir High Court has ordered the transfer of the Mobile Magistrate in connection with stopping an ambulance over using red beacon, which led to the death of a heart patient inside it due to delay in getting medical aid in North Kashmir.

“The High Court has ordered probe and transferred District Mobile Magistrate Traffic, Sopore, Manzoor Ahmed Khan, and posted him as Munsiff Mahanpur in Kathua district,” said Suresh Sharma, Registrar General of State High Court.

An order to this effect was issued by Sharma on Friday taking serious view of media reports about the stopping of ambulance by Khan, which resulted in the patient’s death on Tuesday. 

Abdul Rehman Dar, 80, died due to delay in medical aid after the ambulance carrying him was stopped for 30 minutes by the Mobile Magistrate for using a red beacon.

The family of Dar alleged that the ambulance was stopped while he was being taken to SKIMS hospital in Srinagar from north Kashmir after he suffered a heart attack.

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

The magistrate had stopped the ambulance asking the driver to remove the red beacon and siren in view of Supreme Court’s ruling on the matter. Reacting to reports, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said, “Cannot believe the sheer bloody mindlessness of that action”.

He sought a report from IGP about the incident.