Bengaluru: Ambulance driver thrashed for not having oxygen kit

The family members of a 75-year-old patient beat an ambulance driver black and blue for not keeping an oxygen cylinder kit in the vehicle.

The driver later lodged a complaint at the Sadashivanagar police station.

Ansar, a resident of Thimmaiah Layout in Bharathi Nagar, had difficulty breathing, following which his family members called a private ambulance on Thursday.

The ambulance, driven by Yogeshwar, came to the residence and took the patient to MS Ramaiah Hospital.

Man dies in ambulance

The hospital could not admit the patient due to a paucity of beds. An argument ensued for 20 minutes, at which time Ansar died in the ambulance.

The family members asked Yogeshwar why he did not keep an oxygen kit in the ambulance.

They picked up an argument with him, dragged him out of the vehicle, and thrashed him.

Hospital staff had collected Ansar’s swab samples and sent it for Covid testing.

'Spare the drivers'

Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar condemned the attack on the ambulance driver.

Such attacks are inhuman, the minister tweeted, adding that people should not attack drivers who bring patients to hospital.