Saddening tale from Bharat Bandh: Ambulance stuck, son carried father on shoulders but couldn't save him

Son lifted father on shoulders and ran towards hospital which was 1 km away, but the man was declared dead on arrival.

AFP PHOTO / SAJJAD HUSSAIN / REPRESENTATIONAL

New Delhi: Reportedly, over half dozen people killed during Bharat Bandh on Monday as the protest spread across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and some other states of the country. One such ill fated person was a 68-year-old man from Bijnor. The old man died after the ambulance carrying him couldn't reach hospital on time due to Bharat Bandh protest over SC/ST Protection Act in Bijnor. His son lifted father on shoulders and ran towards hospital which was 1 km away, but the man was declared dead on arrival, reported news agency ANI. Several Dalit organisations had called for a 'Bharat Bandh' on Monday expressing concerns over the alleged "dilution" of SCs/STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. On March 20, the Supreme Court had diluted the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The decision was taken in a bid to protect honest public servants discharging bona fide duties from being blackmailed with false cases under the Act. The apex court said government servants should not be arrested without prior sanction and private citizens too should be arrested only after an inquiry under the law, reported news agency PTI. However, some Dalit organisations fear that the dilution of the provisions might lead to increase in violence against Dalits.