Next time you are in trouble don’t expect the keepers of the law to come to your aid. A family of seven recently learnt this lesson the hard way when they were denied help by cops in their hour of need, resulting in the death of a teenager.
What is most disturbing is the fact that this incident comes close on the heels of the December 16 gang-rape case, which had exposed the callous attitude of the police towards citizens in distress in a major way.But it seems that all admonitions by the courts and outrage expressed by the public, have fallen on deaf ears and the cops are yet to mend their ways.
The appalling incident took place near Gurgaon Toll Plaza on Saturday night, when seven members of a family from Trilokpuri in East Delhi, were returning from a marriage function in Gurgaon.
Their Maruti Eeco car was chased and hit from behind by a rashly driven Indica car.Four of the occupants of the Eeco were badly injured as their car careened and collided with a truck on the highway.The impact was so severe that the neck of a 19-year-old boy, Sagar, was almost severed.
However, the family’s nightmare had only just begun.A badly injured Sushil, who was driving the car at the time of the accident, somehow managed to drive his family to Delhi and approached a police picket for help. Unbelievably none of the policemen posted on the pickets came to their aid, despite the fact that they were grievously injured and their injuries were plainly visible.
left to their own devices, the bruised and battered family somehow managed to reach the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, at Vasant Kunj, where 19-year-old Sagar succumbed to his injuries.
Three members of the family who were admitted with grave head and spinal injuries are still in a critical condition at the hospital while three others were lucky to have escaped with minor injuries. Doctors at the hospital said that Sagar died of excessive bleeding.
What is most disturbing is the fact that the Police Control Room (PCR) of Delhi Police was informed eight times about the incident by the family but nobody made a move to aid the hapless family.
It is also a sad manifestation of how police forces function when it comes to inter-State coordination.
The incident took place near Shankar Chowk in Gurgaon, some 1,500 metres from the Gurgaon Toll Plaza.
While Delhi Police did not react despite eight PCR calls the Gurgaon Police was not far behind, as it took 24 hours to locate the hospital where the injured have been admitted.
Raj, one of the survivors accused the Delhi and Gurgaon Police of utter callousness.
“Sagar could have been saved, had he reached hospital on time. We kept on pleading with the cops who were at the pickets between the Gurgaon Toll Plaza and the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre for help, but they just refused to help us.
“Sushil who was at the wheel of the car was bleeding profusely and could hardly drive, while Sagar was sinking. If the cops had come to our aid, Sagar would have been alive today,” said Raj.
Relating the nightmarish incident Raj said that he, Sagar, Sushil, Rohit and three others, all in the age group of 19 to 25, were returning from a marriage function when their car was accosted by four inebriated men in an Indica car.
They challenged Sushil to overtake their car. The cousins thought that the occupants of the Indica were just having some fun and took on their challenge.
However, when Sushil overtook the car, the occupants of the Indica caught up with them and began hurling abuses.
Frightened by their aggression Sushil tried to get away from them, but the Indica rammed into them from behind.
However, their ordeal was not over as they did not get any help from insensitive cops posted on various pickets of the South district.
When contacted by The Pioneer, Delhi Police officials claimed that they had informed the Gurgaon police about it and the onus is on them now.
When contacted, Surender Pal, DCP, West Gurgaon Police said they have registered a case at Udyog Vihar Police Station and it was being investigated.
“We are scanning the CCTV footage of the toll gate to identify the Indica car," he said. When asked about the 24 hour long delay in reaching the injured, the DCP just said that will also be probed.