UP Ambulance Driver Booked For 'False Remark' Against State Govt

The driver claimed that he was providing oxygen to COVID patients whereas the govt & hospital did nothing.

UP ambulance driver booked for ‘false remark’ on state government.

(Photo: The Quint)

Vicky Agrihari, an ambulance driver from Uttar Pradesh, has been booked for a ‘false and disrecpectable’ remark against the state government. The Jaunpur district administration filed an FIR against the private ambulance driver for allegedly remarking on the Oxygen supply provided by the state.

Hospital staff and authorities have reportedly claimed that Agrihari was not admitting COVID patients to the district government hospital by making a false allegation that there was no bed or oxygen. He has also been accused for wrongly providing oxygen to patients outside the district hospital.

Vicky Agrihari has been booked under sections of the Epidemic Disease Act and IPC sections 188 and 269 for being negligent in spreading infection.

However, according to Agrihari he brought a COVID-affected patient from a private hospital to the government hospital as the former refused to treat the patient citing unavailability of bed and oxygen. Agrihari said he brought an oxygen cylinder from the government hospital and kept in inside the ambulance and gave oxygen to the patient.

Other affected patients who were waiting to get admission in the district hospital also asked Agrihari to arrange oxygen for them.

As Agrihari had worked as a compounder for seven years in a private hospital, he fixed the oxygen kit for patients and arranged two more cylinders.

Hospital authorities claimed that when Agrihari was asked to return the cylinders he refused and therefore a case was filed against him. Chief Medical Superintendent of the district hospital also claimed that Vicky Agrihari made allegations against the hospital in a video recorded on his phone, which he shared with various WhatsApp groups.

“In his video, Vicky alleged that the government and hospital administration are not providing any help to patients and that he was trying to help them.”

Anil Sharma, Chief Medical Superintendent, District Hospital

Agrihari denied making any video from the spot. The Jaunpur District Magistrate stated that an inquiry is being conducted and if anyone is found guilty, action will be taken accordingly. No arrests have been made yet.