Sasthamkotta: A migrant worker, who was grievously injured after he fell off a moving train, was left to bleed on the stretcher for about 45 minutes at Sasthamkotta in Kerala's Kollam district allegedly due to the callous attitude of the 108 Ambulance staff.
The victim was Delhi native Firoze, 29, worked at a salon in Changanassery in Kottayam district.
The staff of the 108 Ambulance service allegedly avoided the task by quoting procedures. Only after the irate public protested, that the youth was taken to the hospital. The dramatic incidents unfolded around 4:30pm on Tuesday.
Firoze was heading to Kollam along with his friends in search of a job on board the Sabari Express. However, he fell off the moving train. The others immediately pulled the emergency chain and brought the train to a halt.
Firoze, who suffered deep injury to his head, had become unconscious.
The youth was laid on a stretcher outside the Sasthamkotta railway station as the people waited for the 108 Ambulance. The ambulance took a long time to arrive and finally the injured youth was taken to the taluk hospital, where he was given first-aid.
Though the doctor said that the youth had to be taken to the district hospital soon, the 108 Ambulance staff reportedly refused to comply. The employees allegedly said that someone had to first call the control room and register, and when they get a message in this regard, they would take him to the hospital.
They further said that the doctor had sought for an ambulance with ICU facilities and that was not available.
However, when the public protested, the taluk hospital's ambulance was used to take the injured to Kollam. Firoze was shifted to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital later in the night.
The free 108 Ambulance service operates on the tax payers’ money.