No emergency patient in ambulance held up by Shah convoy: Mumbai traffic police

The Mumbai traffic police on Wednesday dismissed the allegation that an ambulance was held up for Union Home Minister Amit Shah's convoy to pass, an official said.

The police said the ambulance was not carrying any emergency patient and that its siren kept wailing due to technical defect, a day after videos and images emerged showing the ambulance waiting in traffic at suburban Andheri while the convoy passes by.

"After enquiry it has been verified by the traffic official present at the spot that there was no emergency patient in the ambulance and due to defect, the ambulance driver was unable to switch off the siren. The allegation is false," the traffic police said in a statement issued on its official Twitter handle.

After the video went viral, many netizens slammed the BJP and the "VIP culture".

"Never before would you imagine this in Mumbai, an ambulance was kept waiting to allow Amit Shah's convoy to pass. Amit Shah is technically a Z+ protectee (a VIP & not VVIP). Yet roads were closed for the first time...that BJP is in power now," tweeted Saket Gokhale.

Responding to the traffic police's clarification, Abhijeet Padole tweeted, "Ambulance is always on emergency...what do you mean by there was no emergency patient? If there is a patient in the ambulance it is an emergency. If no patient means the ambulance is on the way to pick up the patient. Stop covering your flaws''.

''The ambulance may be going to pick up a patient who was in urgent need. How did you conclude that the ambulance did not have a patient inside and that the siren of the same was faulty? Has the constable on duty inquired? This is to just cover up the flaws,'' another Twitter user said.

Shah visited Lalbaugcha Raja, a prominent Ganesh pandal, on Monday during his two-day visit to the city.

He also visited the residences of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.