Four days after a bureaucrat's car knocked down a 90-year-old Indian war veteran in Chandigarh, police are yet to arrest the driver and impound the car, leading to condemnation of India's VIP culture on social media.
The car belonging to former UT Home Secretary Anil Kumar knocked down Capt Paramjit Kaur Dhanoa (Retd), a former army doctor on September 25 when she was entering the Tagore theatre to watch a play along with her other family members.
IAS officer Anil Kumar of Haryana cadre allegedly not only did not stop to help Dhanoa, he hurriedly left the scene because he was getting late for the play, according to media reports.
Dhanoa received injuries on her face and her head and also suffered broken rib, her son told PTI. Kumar, the family said, did not provide any medical assistance and has not apologised.
The woman was admitted to Command Hospital Chandimandir and her condition was now stable, her family claimed.
Her grandson, Gobind Singh Dhanoa, took to Facebbook to express his "disgust".
This is what he wrote.
"The Ex-#HomeSecretary of #UT : The S.H.O. "Mr. Anil Kumar's" Govt. Vehicle: HM Ambassador knocked down my Father's "90 year old" Mother inside the premises of the #TagoreTheatre last evening due to over speeding in the #ParkingArea.
"Mr. Anil Kumar" (IAS Officer) & his Wife both left from there in a matter of few minutes saying, "I know it is my Driver's Fault" and went in to watch a "Play" with total disregard for my #Grandmother.
He didn't bother to wait and ensure to get medical help and didn't assist my father in any way.
My #Grandmother "Capt. Dr. P.K. Dhanoa" who is a 1962 #WarVeteran now has a "Head Injury and a Broken Rib", is currently being treated at "The Command Hospital" at #Chandimandir.
The thing is : #Power is in the hands of #MenOfLowCalibre, #Rascals, #Rogues, #Freebooters, #Unethical, #Arrogant, #Characterless people who have no regard for the citizens of this great country of ours.
This is how #SeniorCitizens are treated by our very own #VIPs & #Bureaucrats.
I hope this reaches #PMoIndia #NarendraModi."
The Chandigarh police have booked an "unknown person" under Sections 279 (rash driving) and 337 (endangering life and personal safety of others) of the IPC, the the Chandigarh Tribune reported.
Kumar, however, told the Tribune that he had helped the army officer after she fell, "made her sit on a chair and then offered her water from his bottle".
"If the woman’s son did not see me doing that, I can’t help it. He may have been busy arguing with the driver at that time,” Kumar said.
Social media users expressed outrage at the incident.
I hope the guilty person is punished. Wishing Mrs. Dhanoa a speedy recovery. At her age it's tough to recover fast. https://t.co/IA744P67GY
— kaveri (@ikaveri) September 27, 2015
My friend Gobind S Dhanoa posted that the incidence took place outside #TagoreTheatre & Mr Kumar &his wife showed ignorance & negligence 2/5
— Monicka Vadera (@mvadera) September 27, 2015
The news channel Times Now trended the hashtag #StandUpToVVIPRacism.
90-year-old war veteran Dr. Dhanoa was knocked down by a bureaucrats car in Chandigarh #StandUpToVVIPRacismpic.twitter.com/nTzJnqIOaS
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) September 29, 2015
My sympathies with Capt Dhanoa's mother. It seems OSD doesn't know what the word MOTHER means. GOD help him.
— Deepak (@deekaul) September 29, 2015
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