'Not Sure If All Ambulances Carry Genuine Patients' : Kerala High Court Calls For Monitoring System

The Kerala High Court on Monday orally commented that perhaps it was time to bring about a monitoring system to regulate ambulances cutting through traffic in the State, particularly in the city of Kochi.

While hearing a bail application of a man alleged to have committed an offence in an ambulance, Justice P Gopinath remarked that this was an issue of immense gravity citing the rising number of similar cases being brought to the fore in the State:

"It is a very serious issue. But at the same time, how can the police regulate this? They cannot stop and inspect all the ambulances plying in the city; this could cost a life, leading to disciplinary action against the responsible officer. Everyone including the police will make way for an ambulance upon hearing its siren. But only God knows what is being transported in it. I am not sure if all these ambulances are transporting genuine patients in the first place." 

However, it is important to note that the Court made it clear that it was merely a casual observation off the record when the Government Pleader volunteered to take instructions about the same. Yet the State Police Chief has been directed to stay vigilant and devise a method to monitor the ambulances as it was largely being used as a cover for illegal activities.

The Court further added that the tinted glasses and the siren made an ambulance the perfect getaway vehicle for criminals apart from its leverage over traffic. 

Justice Gopinath also cited his recent visit to Chennai where he said he did not notice a single ambulance speeding on the road despite it being a highly populated town.

In contrast, Kochi witnessed scrambling ambulances on the roads one after the other, zipping through traffic. It was also pointed out that at certain places in the State, one could even locate a group of ambulances parked together, which according to the Court, was suspicious.

"Even during a short drive to Palarivattom, one can spot several ambulances plying in the same as well as opposite direction. There may be genuine reasons. But how many of these vehicles are carrying genuine patients? A lot of ambulances are on the road ever since the pandemic struck. There should be some sort of regulation," observed the court.

While making the observations, the Single Judge also recalled a recent incident where an accused escaped in an ambulance after committing a crime. 

In September 2020, an ambulance driver was accused of raping a 19-year old Covid patient in Pathanamthitta on their way to the hospital. In a similar incident dated May 2021, an ambulance attendant was arrested for sexually harassing a Covid-19 patient in the ambulance. A month later, another ambulance driver was nabbed for attempting to sexually abuse a Covid patient's relative.

Ambulances are popularly used for mafia-style hit and run operations as well. For instance, very recently, in the shocking political murder of BJP leader Ranjith Sreenivasan, the police suspected that the assailants used an ambulance to carry out the hit.

Similarly, ambulances have largely been used to help perpetrators flee the crime scene. The culprits involved in the murder of SDPI State Secretary Shan had also used a Seva Bharati ambulance as their getaway vehicle.

Reports of identical incidents have given the Court all the more reason to call for a monitoring system for ambulances racing through the traffic in the State.