Well wishers, good citizens or Ambulance Chasers?

Last couple of weeks were a revelation. A few sunday evenings back, we all went out together to the workshop to get some pending nagging problems rectified (tyre change and wheel balancing for negi's car & change of tube for surbhi's car & me giving company for an abject lack of social life). As we were cruising and debating the performance of a CNG engine , we , in a matter of seconds became witnesses to a hit and run case. A white indica swirled past us and in an attempt to repeat the grand performance with another car, brazenly knocked down a poor bike rider, who ended up losing his balance and colliding head on with the railings on the road side. We were around 50 Metres behind the bike. The car driver obviously, realising that he could be in trouble, sped away at a speed which could give race drivers some goosebumps.



As we stopped the car and rushed towards the victim, a crowd had already started assembling. Now this guy was lying in a pool of blood and obviously, being in a state of shock, was in a bad shape. The image of flesh of both the shoulders being partially ripped apart and blood oozling out will not leave me for a long time to come. But on a different note, we knew exactly what needed to be done. Negi 's first reaction was to read the number of the indica as it sped away. I rushed to the victim to check on him. Now, he wasn't exactly in a condition for first aid but his panic was evident. I started speaking to him to try to ensure that he doesnt fall unconscious. He asked for my help to get him to sit down as the road was burning hot, which i nervously did. In the meanwhile, we called 100 to report accident and asking for backup. However, knowing the state of affairs of police backup in NOIDA, Negi and surbhi without wasting time rushed to the nearest hospital to get the ambulance. The hospital staff were reluctant to release an ambulance without 'procedures'. Of course, hearing surbhi's legal credentials (yes, she does that part very well) and threats (that too!!!) they agreed to release the ambulance. In the meanwhile, seeing that a few more people had assembled, I sprinted to the police check post (hardly 100 Mt. away) requesting them to issue alert over wireless (which I doubt they did). I returned with an indifferent police patrol who just added themselves to the crowd assembling there! The constable was 'kind' enough to note the number of the car on a schoolboy notepad. After some ranting, they offered to put the 'body' in car, which I refused (to their relief) since Negi and surbhi were on their way back with the ambulance. Leave alone the victim, the police were even indifferent to manage the traffic. Looking at them standing in their unbuttoned shirts and khakhi watching helplessly was pathetic! Finally, as the ambulance arrived, they started moving and getting the crowd to disperse. Hospital was a different state of affairs. Now here was a kid lying in absolute pain and nearly in a state of unconsciousness and some chap with white coat, in eagerness to prepare his MLC was asking him his address and exact location as to where the accident took place(By then the kid had already given his fathers name, phone number, etc). Anyways, the good news was that the kid was out of danger. I contacted his father, and gave him the location of the hospital. In the meanwhile, negi took care of the pre deposit and we asked the docs to start whatever they felt was necessary and asked the kid's father not to panic. After the arrival of substantial number of his family members, including his dad , we took leave, gave our numbers and left the hospital. That was not the end of it. I got a call from his dad that the police was reluctant to register an FIR. When i personally visited the checkpost, the excuse for not registering the FIR was that there was a visit of some IG and hence all the personnel were busy and the police did not have resources to investigate. Now, tell me, doesnt such attitude in itself generate anger to propel people to pick up arms? Anyways, we got the FIR filed (vakiil babu effect part II) and it has been a month since any headway. In fact, yesterday , the cop called us to ask if we had located the car!!!!

Now, with this experience, I really felt proud of our team. Organisations spend zillions to get their constitutes to react the way, the team did to the accident. We all knew our roles right away and by god's grace, the kid survived. But what really brought me to a guilt trip and showered a burst of extinguisher on our enthusiasm to help the kid get some justice was a phone call. Frustrated with the delayed process, the kid's dad called me. I told him that a way out could be to approach the court and blah blah blah. Now, at this point, the entire attitude changed. Till a few days back, we were getting thank you calls. Suddenly the tenor changed and maybe the kid's dad thought that our effort was centered on getting a brief. He didn't say so, but started talking about how he had a 'fair idea' about the 'commissions' that lawyers take against the claims . (BTW, last heard, Motor vehicle cases are quite rewarding, and hence the term 'Ambulance Chasers'). Now that was an eye opener. I did clarify to the chappie that being witnesses, we could not take up the matter and he would have to locate someone else for the assignment. Somehow, the enthusiasm drowned and a feeling crept in that we did whatever we could do. Of course, my (over)enthusiasm has become a bit of a joke because my colleagues think that the drip in enthusiasm is on account of our decision of not pursuing it as a case as counsels. Last heard, the kid was o.k. and treatment underway. No breakthrough in the case yet, but I hope that the kid recovers and lives a normal life ahead. But, without meaning to turn one, we face the possibility of being termed as 'ambulance chasers'. I just hope that the kid and his family remember us as those who got the ambulance for him and not otherwise.

Cheers !!