Patna: A 102 ambulance driver has been accused of demanding money from the family of a deceased person for a service that is meant to be provided free of cost, according to allegations circulating in a video that has gone viral on social media.
The incident reportedly took place at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), one of Bihar’s largest government hospitals. However, the allegations and the authenticity of the viral video have not been independently verified.
Family Alleges Money Was Demanded
According to the report, the case involved a deceased person who was brought to PMCH from Mittanchak. The family reportedly contacted the 102 ambulance service after the death and requested an ambulance.
The ambulance, allegedly driven by a person identified in the report as Rajkumar, transported the body to the PMCH postmortem house.
The family alleged that the driver demanded money after reaching the facility. They reportedly told him that they did not have sufficient money, but claimed that pressure continued.
According to the allegations, the family eventually borrowed money from another person and handed it over to the driver.
Allegations of Pressure on Postmortem Staff
The report also cited allegations involving employees working at the PMCH postmortem house.
It was alleged that the ambulance driver attempted to pressure staff to place bodies inside the postmortem facility. The report further claimed that, when opposed, the driver allegedly used contacts to arrange calls from a control room to pressure health workers.
These allegations have not been independently verified, and no official response from the authorities or the accused individual was included in the report.
Questions Over Free Ambulance Service
The 102 ambulance service is intended to provide transportation support under government arrangements in specified circumstances, including assistance for eligible patients and other authorised services.
If the allegations of unauthorised payment demands are confirmed following an official inquiry, the matter could raise concerns over the implementation and monitoring of the service.
The report said the viral video had drawn attention to the issue, with questions now being raised over whether health authorities and the PMCH administration would examine the allegations.
Official Response Awaited
At the time of the report, an official statement from PMCH or the Health Department on the allegations was awaited.
The claims remain unverified, and any determination of responsibility would depend on an official investigation and the evidence available to the authorities.
