In a bizarre incident on June 14, devotees traveling from Haridwar to Kedarnath misused emergency medical vehicles to skip traffic and reach the temple faster. They booked two ambulances, turned on sirens, and posed as patients en route to the shrine. However, their plan was foiled at Sonprayag, where alert police officers stopped the vehicles and uncovered the truth.
The Plan: Ambulances as Taxis
Eager to avoid long traffic jams, the devotees booked two ambulances, one from Rajasthan (RJ14 PF 2013) and another from Haridwar (UK08 PA 1684). With sirens on, the vehicles crossed multiple checkpoints without being stopped, as ambulances are generally not scrutinized due to their emergency status.
“Since ambulances are used for transporting critically ill patients, they are given priority. But this misuse is a serious offence,” said an officer from the Sonprayag checkpoint.
Busted at Sonprayag
Sonprayag police grew suspicious when the control room received no alert about any emergency cases being transported. Officers stopped the two ambulances, only to find devotees comfortably seated inside, enjoying the ride.
“When devotees fall ill on the Kedarnath route, all posts from Gaurikund to Kedarnath get an alert. These two ambulances had no such alert,” a police official said.
Both vehicles were seized under the Motor Vehicles Act and their drivers were fined.
Operation and Security Measures
The usual checkpoints from Haridwar to Kedarnath, including Rishikesh, Devprayag, Rudraprayag, and Guptkashi, reportedly let the ambulances pass, assuming they were legitimate emergency vehicles.
The Kedarnath shrine, one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites, opened for the season on May 2 and will close in November.
