Bengaluru: In an unfortunate incident, a 46-year-old woman heart patient died on the spot while five others sustained injuries when the ambulance they were traveling rammed into a private bus under Peenya traffic police station limits on Friday.
The deceased, Eeramma, a native of Sandur, was suffering from heart ailments and was getting shifted from B.K. Srinivasamurthy Nursing Home to Jayadeva Hospital in the city as her condition had worsened, the police said. The injured have been identified as Jacobson, 31, a male nurse, Vinay Kumar, ambulance driver and three other relatives of Eeramma, Kumaraswamy, K. Veeresh, and the victim’s sister Ratnamma, the police added.
According to the police, the accident happened around 6.30 am near the toll booth of NH4 near Kennametal factory in Peenya and Eeramma died on the spot.
When Eeramma’s condition worsened on Thursday night, her treating doctor referred her to Jayadeva Hospital and told the patient’s attendants to shift her at the earliest, said an investigating officer. The three relatives booked her for a private ambulance (UP86-T-1328) and left Ballari on Thursday night, the officer added.
When the ambulance reached near the NH4 toll gate near Kennametal factory, a Bengaluru bound private Volvo bus coming from Mumbai suddenly braked, right in front of the ambulance, to help a passenger get down, the police officer said. The ambulance that was following the bus was moving in high speed and rammed into the rear of the bus.
The patient lying on the gurney got tossed inside the ambulance and died on the spot, the officer added. The male nurse and the ambulance driver sustained head injuries, while the three relatives sustained fractures and contusions. They were rushed to a private hospital in Chokkasandra, where Eeramma was declared brought dead and others were hospitalised, the officer said.
Peenya traffic police seized the bus (KA19-AB-1527), belonging to Canara Pinto Travels, and have arrested the bus driver Lance D’Souza, 51, for his alleged negligence. The bus driver was booked under IPC - 304-A and further investigations are underway.
