HC closes plea to offer safety to 108 ambulance crew following DGPs round

The State on Monday knowledgeable the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that the Director General of Police (DGP) has issued a round requesting the Commissioners of Police and the Superintendents of Police to problem directions to Station House Officers of their jurisdiction to make sure the protection and safety of 108 ambulance crew after they move by the group with none disturbances.

“It is observed that varied political events and different organisations incessantly organise demonstrations, agitations, public conferences and different congregations on roads and public locations. In this connection, directions had been issued for strict compliance,” the round mentioned. As per the round, programmes shouldn’t be permitted to hinder fundamental thoroughfares and arterial roads. If unavoidable, correct visitors diversion plans needs to be drawn up and successfully carried out upfront, with sufficient public data.

Whenever conferences or congregations are organised on highway margins or close to junctions, applicable bandobast and safety preparations needs to be made. Adequate deployment of personnel needs to be ensured to control visitors easily and forestall public inconvenience.

It needs to be ensured on precedence that every one emergency automobiles together with 108 ambulances, fireplace and rescue companies automobiles and police response items are capable of transfer with out hindrance or obstruction. Dedicated passageways needs to be saved free and visitors personnel deployed to facilitate their motion swiftly.

Proper barricading, crowd administration and safety measures needs to be taken to keep away from untoward incidents. Local hospital authorities and fireplace and rescue companies could also be sensitised every time massive scale occasions are deliberate.

Taking cognisance of the round, a Division Bench of Justices Anita Sumanth and C. Kumarappan closed a public curiosity litigation petition that sought a path to the State to offer sufficient police safety to 108 ambulance crew members and Emergency Medical Technicians throughout Tamil Nadu until the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections in 2026 is accomplished.

The petitioner M. Erulandi of Madurai, state common secretary of Tamil Nadu 108 Emergency Vehicle Tholizhalar Munnetra Sangam cited two latest incidents reported in Vellore and Tiruchi districts respectively through which 108 ambulance pilots and crew members had been threatened throughout the AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Ok. Palaniswami’s ‘Makkalai Kaappom, Thamilagathai Meetpom’ marketing campaign.

He complained the 108 ambulance crew members had been going through steady menace. The authorities have to make sure the protection and safety of the 108 ambulance crew members until the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections in 2026 are over, he mentioned.

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