Patient dies as man blocks ambulance’s path for 30 minutes

Family members of the patient alleged that Mishra threatened them with dire consequences when confronted for blocking the road.

Police have arrested one Umesh Mishra, said to be a BJP leader, for allegedly blocking an ambulance’s path with his unattended car for more than 30 minutes, which led to the death of a man who was being rushed from Sitapur to a hospital in Lucknow.

Mishra was reportedly being taken to Sitapur for interrogation at the time when this report was filed.

Family members of the patient alleged that Mishra threatened them with dire consequences when confronted for blocking the road.

Taking cognisance of the issue, the Sitapur police tweeted that the incident took place last Saturday. SHO-Kotwali Nagar Tej Praksh Singh confirmed that Mishra was booked under relevant sections for his act. Mishra was reportedly being taken to Sitapur for interrogation at the time when this report was filed.

The family of Suresh Chandra, the patient, said he was being taken to a Lucknow hospital as he complained of chest pain. Doctors at the Sitapur district hospital reportedly told the family that Chandra had suffered a heart attack. The family members were accompanying him in the ambulance.

When the ambulance was still in Sitapur district, it had to stop as the BJP leader’s unattended car was blocking its path. Reportedly, the ambulance couldn’t move forward for more than 30 minutes, resulting in Chandra’s death.

According to a video viral on social media and purportedly shot by bystanders, Mishra can be seen shouting and threatening a relative of the deceased to get him framed in police cases.

Mishra’s position in the BJP was yet to be ascertained, said Sitapur circle officer Sushil Kumar Singh. “On the complaint of Jai Kishan Rathore, the brother-in-law of Suresh Chandra, an FIR under IPC sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 304 (causing death by negligence), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation) was lodged against Mishra,” he added.

Image Cap: A screen grab from the viral video on Twitter