In a situation loaded with irony, an ambulance became the cause of further injury to the patient it was transporting. A BEST bus ran into an ambulance at Kandivli yesterday afternoon, leaving the patient in an even more grievous state, and causing severe injury to fellow passengers who were on the ambulance.


Crashed: A BEST bus ran into an ambulance at Kandivli yesterday,
leaving the patient in an even more grievous state, and causing severe
injury to fellow passengers who were on the ambulance.u00a0

Kailash Lohani had been admitted to Gokul Hospital in Thakur Complex for treatment for injuries sustained to head. Doctors at the facility had advised a transfer to the Kamgar Hospital in Thakur Village, which was a short distance away. An ambulance belonging to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) was transporting Lohani and five others to Kamgar Hospital at around 1 pm, when the accident took place, next to the Thakur Complex gate.

Lohani's condition is reported to be critical. He has been admitted to the ICU department of Bhagwati Hospital.
One of the passengers, Chandrabhan Singh (35), sustained grievous injuries to his left hand owing to the collision, and also suffered extensive bruises.u00a0 Singh has now been admitted to the Sanchayati Hospital. Other passengers sustained injuries as well. "My brother was accompanying the patient to the hospital. He sustained injuries during the accident. Such was the impact with the bus that the ambulance flipped twice. All passengers were seriously injured. We are praying for his health now," said Ramesh Singh, the victim's brother.

According to eyewitnesses, the BEST bus driver's negligent and rash driving triggered off the accident. Sudhir Pawar, MNS party member from Kandivli, said, "Our ambulance was transporting the patient from one hospital to another for further treatment. But he ended up sustaining more injuries owing to the collision of the ambulance with a BEST bus. I spoke to eyewitnesses, and they unanimously agreed that the bus driver was speeding, as a result of which the collision took place."u00a0 He further added, "All the victims have been admitted to hospital. We have also registered a case against the BEST bus driver for rash driving and negligence."

Following the incident, the bus driver Narayan Patil was taken into custody, and accompanied to the Samta Nagar Police Station. "We have examined the driver and sent him for medical examination to determine if he was under the influence. We have registered case against him," said a police officer at the station.

The Other Side
Sunil Shinde, BEST committee chairman, said, "We will investigate the matter. If we discover that the driver was driving negligently, we will take action against him. The police has already registered the case against him."