With blaring sirens, ambulance stops for snacks in Hyderabad

It is a common sight on Indian roads that police at traffic intersections stop other vehicles to give clearance to siren-blaring ambulances, but in Hyderabad, a cop was shocked when an ambulance crossed a traffic signal with its emergency lights and sirens on, only to stop at a roadside eatery to buy snacks.

The video of the ambulance of a private hospital standing in front of the roadside eatery and the conversation between a policeman and the ambulance driver was widely circulated on social media on Tuesday.

#TelanganaPolice urges responsible use of ambulance services, citing misuse of sirens. Genuine emergencies require activating sirens for swift and safe passage. Strict action against abusers is advised.

Together, we can enhance emergency response and community safety. pic.twitter.com/TuRkMeQ3zN

— Anjani Kumar IPS (@Anjanikumar_IPS) July 11, 2023

The policeman is heard questioning the driver as to why he activated the siren. The driver, with a bottle of a cold drink in his hand, initially said the patient was not in good condition and when the cop insisted on seeing the patient, the driver then said that he stopped the ambulance for a nurse who had not taken food.

“I gave clearance to you by stopping other vehicles and you have stopped here to eat mirchi bhajji,” the policeman told the driver.

The cop is then heard saying that he will forward the video to his higher-ups for strict action.

Telangana Director General of Police Anjani Kumar posted the video on Twitter and called for responsible use of ambulance services.

“Telangana police urges responsible use of ambulance services, citing misuse of sirens. Genuine emergencies require activating sirens for swift and safe passage. Strict action against abusers is advised. Together, we can enhance emergency response and community safety,” he tweeted.