Circle Inspector of Police Sreemanth Illal, who was assaulted by a gang of over 40 ganja-growers and smugglers near Turori and Honnali villages on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border in Bidar district late on Friday, was airlifted from United Hospital in Kalaburagi to Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru on Monday.
The D-level ICU ambulance that carried Mr. Illal, who was in an unconscious state, started at 9 a.m. from United Hospital and moved through SB Petrol Pump, Annapurna Cross, District Hospital Cross, Kharge Petrol Pump Cross and Saradagi Cross in a zero traffic to reach the Kalaburagi Airport within a few minutes. He was then airlifted by a special aircraft to Bengaluru. The Police Department had deployed over 50 police personnel, including two Circle Inspectors, to maintain zero traffic from United Hospital to the Kalaburagi airport.
Vikaram Siddareddy, general surgeon and chairman of United Hospital, monitored the smooth shift of the patient from the hospital. Lok Sabha member from Kalaburagi Umesh Jadhav, MLA Basavaraj Mattimadu, and Superintendent of Police Isha Pant were present at airport when the flight took off for Bengaluru.
“Ours is a super-speciality centre for accident trauma and critical care equipped with ultra-modern equipment and the latest technologies. It is because of our expertise in critical care coupled with advanced medical technologies that Mr. Illal’s life was saved. All the initial treatments went off well and the patient was stabilised. He was actively responding to the treatment. To respect the decision of the family, we had to allow shifting of the patient. I am confident that Mr. Illal, who has high willpower, will recover fast,” Mr. Siddareddy told The Hindu.
Mr. Illal was assaulted by the gang when he had, as part of the investigation of a case registered in Kamalapur police station, led a team of police officers to the place where ganja was illegally cultivated.
Home Minister Araga Jnanendra had directed Ms. Pant to airlift the officer to Bengaluru or Hyderabad for better treatment if required. Sudarshan Lakhe, intensivist at United Hospital, had, however, advised against immediately shifting as the patient was not yet stabilised. Manish Kharbikar, IGP (North Eastern Range), and Ms. Pant discussed with the family members and put the shifting on hold for two days.
