From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jun 22: Ambulance drivers can normally be excused for jumping a traffic signal even though it is a traffic violation, while driving the vehicle with siren blaring.

Generally, siren blaring ambulances are given some leeway as everybody assumes that the ambulance may be carrying a patient in critical condition and delay of a few minutes might mean a matter of life and death for the patient.

But not so in this case. The Halasuru police caught the 25-year-old ambulance driver Kantharaj for jumping the traffic signal at Devanga junction in the city on Thursday afternoon. He was driving with siren blaring without any patient inside.

When the police subjected him to breath-analyser test, the ambulance driver was found to have blood alcohol level of 29 mg, which is way above the legal limit.

Was the ambulance driver, Kantharaj, in a tearing hurry to go the nearest bar to down a few more drinks or perhaps go home to sleep off and rest, one wonders.

The Halasuru police have booked a case under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act against Kantharaj.

Kantharaj had switched on the siren of the Sanjeevani ambulance even though the vehicle was carrying no patient. He also jumped the signal at Devanga Junction.