The city traffic police have arrested the driver of a hearse, which in emergency situations doubles as a private ambulance, who created chaos on J.C. Road on Monday.
The vehicle, which was on its way to Kunigal town from Jayadeva Hospital with a corpse, was being driven in a rash and negligent manner with both the siren and flash lights on.
Motorists allowed the vehicle to pass through, but the traffic police realised by the colour of the vehicle that it was a hearse. They booked driver Devraj under various sections of the Indian Motor Vehicles Act, including Section 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way).
“We seized the driving licence and vehicle documents from the driver and allowed him to transport the body and come back,” Mohammed Ali, Inspector, Halasuru traffic station, said. “We checked with the driver and the family of the deceased if there was an emergency but the driver said that he was just trying to pass through the busy road using the siren facility.” Officials said that hearses can use a siren only in particular situations such as if the vehicle has been blocked deliberately, say during a protest. They can also use the siren when functioning as an ambulance.
After Devraj returned to the city on Wednesday, the police arrested him and produced him before a court.
Earlier this week, traffic police from the same jurisdiction were pulled up for allegedly blocking an ambulance to allow the Chief Minister’s convoy on J.C. Road.
