Passenger dies at Pune railway station, body taken in luggage tempo as GRP has ambulance, but no driver

The body of a passenger who dies on Pune railway station platform while waiting for train could not be taken to hospital for autopsy as general railway police (GRP) ambulance driver was absent.

The incident happened at Friday morning when a 30-year-old passenger suffering from illness died at the platform due to illness. After the railway doctors declared him dead, the railway police force (RPF) and general railway police (GRP) called the railway hospital ambulance and the state government 108 ambulance which came to the spot, but denied taking the body citing that the facility is only available for injured and serious passengers. Finally, RPF policemen had to take the body in a tempo to Sassoon General Hospital for post-mortem.

The deceased is identified as Rakesh Yadav, hailing from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh and working at a scrap godown in Kolhapur. Accompanied by his brother-in-law Pavan Yadav, the duo reached Pune from Kolhapur by train at 1 am on January 24.

“We slept at platform number 1 as the train to Gorakhpur was scheduled for next day. Rakesh was down with high fever since we began the journey from Kolhapur. He was not responding when I tried to wake him up at 6 am on Friday. I called for public help and RPF policemen immediately came to the spot and a doctor from the railway station came for medical help.” said Pavan.

Meanwhile, due to chaos at the station, RPF policemen shifted Rakesh out of the station premises to a place near the parcel office. GRP police also reached the spot, to take the body to Sassoon Hospital for further medical attention.

At 9 am two ambulances — one of railway hospital and another of state 108 number — reached the spot. The doctor of 108 number ambulance checked Rakesh and confirmed that he was dead and advised to take the body to Sassoon hospital for autopsy.

Both the ambulance drivers denied to take the body as it was a police case and the patient was neither serious not injured. Autorickshaw drivers also denied to take the body. Finally, at 9.30 am, the body was kept in a luggage carrier tempo and sent to Sassoon hospital. Pavan Yadav accompanied the body.

RPF police inspector Aswhwani Kumar said, “As soon as we got the information our policemen reached the spit and found that the passenger who not responding to our actions. We alerted the GRP police and immediately called the doctor and the latter declared him dead. The doctor with 108 ambulance also confirmed that the person. So, we took him to Sassoon hospital for post-mortem.”

Senior inspector Sureshsingh Goud, incharge of Pune railway station GRP police station, said, “We have registered accidental death (AD) complaint in this case and further enquiry is on. All efforts were made to provide immediate medical attention to the passenger. We were unable to take the body to hospital because we do not have a driver for the ambulance at Pune railway station that is donated by an organisation. I appeal to NGOs and organisations to provide a round-the clock-driver to handle such emergency situations.”