In a heart-wrenching incident that exposes systemic neglect, a woman in Uttarakhand had to transport her brother’s body on the roof of a taxi to their village, 195 kilometers away in Pithoragarh district. The unaffordable ambulance charges and lack of government support left her with no other option. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media, triggering public outrage and raising serious concerns about the state’s healthcare and transportation infrastructure.
The woman, identified as Shivani (22), resided with her younger brother Abhishek (20) in a village in the Berinag area of Pithoragarh district. On Friday, Abhishek came home early from work, complaining of severe headaches. Later, he stepped out for a walk but was found unconscious near a railway track shortly afterward. Shivani rushed him to Sushila Tiwari Government Medical College in Haldwani, where doctors declared him dead upon examination.
The next morning, following a postmortem, Shivani received Abhishek’s body from the police. Desperate to take him back to their village, she approached several private ambulance drivers outside the mortuary. However, they demanded between ₹10,000 and ₹12,000 for the service—far beyond her means.
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Unable to pay the exorbitant fare, Shivani turned to a local taxi driver, who agreed to help. The driver transported the body strapped to the roof of his taxi, embarking on the 195-kilometer journey back to the village. During the trip, a bystander captured a video of the body tied to the taxi roof, which quickly went viral across social media platforms.
The video has ignited widespread criticism of the state government, highlighting the inadequacies in Uttarakhand’s healthcare and ambulance services. Despite numerous claims of improvement, the incident has laid bare the reality faced by people in rural areas during emergencies.
Taking note of the situation, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered an investigation and directed authorities to take strict action against those found responsible for the negligence.
The incident underscores the severe financial and emotional burden families face in emergencies, particularly in underserved rural regions. Shivani’s story, while one of resilience, has become a symbol of the urgent need for affordable and accessible healthcare infrastructure in the state.
The state’s health department and ambulance services are now under intense scrutiny, with growing demands for reforms to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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