Bajura, April 16

An ambulance belonging to Badimalika Municipality, Bajura, was found to be carrying passengers in violation of the lockdown.

Madan Singh Dhami, incharge at Chhaukhutte Police Post in Achham, said that the ambulance registered with Se 1 Jha 259 number was carrying four passengers from Dhangadi to Bajura. Police said that two were from Humla while two were of Badimalika Municipality.

Chhaukhutte Police said the ambulance was released this morning even though it had reached at 10:00pm yesterday. Dhami said that there was no patient in the ambulance but it was carrying four other persons.

Badimalika Municipality Mayor Padam Baduwal said he was unaware about the incident. He said a police constable from Dhangadi had sent two persons in the ambulance.

Chief District Officer Ganga Prasad Neupane said it was wrong to carry passengers in an ambulance. “A case will be filed if any ambulance carries passengers in this transitional period,” he added.

Bajura District Police Office Chief Tanka Prasad Bhattarai said action would be taken. Police said an ambulance belonging to Swamikartik Rural Municipality had carried six passengers from Nepalgunj to Bajura yesterday.

Bajura Health Office Chief Daya Krishna Panta said the district might be at high risk of COVID-19 if ambulances carry passengers. He said the tendency to reach Bajura from other districts in ambulances and other vehicles had to stop.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on April 17, 2020 of The Himalayan Times.