Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam police suspended four officers after an ambulance carrying a patient was forced to stop for Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s convoy. The incident occurred at the Ramnagar ISBT point in Silchar on September 30. A video of the ambulance waiting for the VIP convoy gained traction online. It sparked public outrage. Sarma was visiting the area for a one-day program and a poll-related public meeting.
The suspended officers include SI Bijoy Goswami of the Srikona Police Post and SI Sibsankar Das of the N.H. Way Police Post. LNK (UB) Jahurul Islam from Katigorah Police Station and LNK (UB) Kawsar Ahmed Barbhuiya of the Silchar Traffic Branch also face suspension. These men failed to uphold existing protocols regarding emergency vehicles.
Sarma apologized to the patient and their family. He called the traffic obstruction unacceptable. The Chief Minister stated, "No Chief Minister's passage should EVER take precedence over a life in need of urgent care." He admitted that his standing orders to avoid inconveniencing citizens during his travels were ignored in this instance.
The Chief Minister ordered a formal inquiry into the lapse. He warned that he would enforce his movement directions in letter and spirit. Officers who ignore these rules will face strict consequences. This case renewed scrutiny regarding how authorities handle emergency vehicles during high-security transport operations.
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