JABALPUR: A disturbing incident from Katni district has triggered outrage after a 108 ambulance staffer allegedly took money from the family of a critically injured road accident victim and forced a woman relative to clean the vehicle before shifting him for treatment.The episode, captured on video and widely circulated on social media, has raised serious questions over the conduct of emergency response personnel and the functioning of the state-run ambulance service. Following the viral clip, authorities at the Katni district hospital issued a notice to the staffer concerned and sought an explanation. The incident happened April 24, but its video has gone viral now.According to information, 32-year-old Rahul Barman sustained grievous injuries in a road accident near Karela village in Katni. He was initially brought to the district hospital in a 108 ambulance, where doctors provided primary treatment. As his condition remained critical, he was referred to Jabalpur for advanced care.It was during this transfer process that the alleged misconduct took place within the hospital premises. The ambulance staffer, identified as Mohit, is accused of demanding money from the victim’s family and insisting that they clean the ambulance after it got soiled during transport.The viral video shows a woman, said to be a relative of the injured man, washing the ambulance while the staffer stands by. When questioned, the victim’s wife is seen indicating that she was acting on the instructions of the ambulance driver.Hospital authorities said they have taken cognisance of the incident after the video surfaced online.Katni district hospital civil surgeon Dr Yashwant Verma said that a notice has been issued to the 108 in-charge and the driver, seeking a response within a week. He added that strict action would follow if the reply is found unsatisfactory.
