Ballia (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 26 (ANI): The District Magistrate of Ballia, Mangala Prasad Singh, said that strict action will be taken if the allegations are confirmed in connection with the incident in which a 50-year-old man died after a petrol pump allegedly refused to refuel an ambulance.

Briefing about the incident, the District Magistrate said the ambulance had reached Bhushan Petrol Pump near Tengarahi Mor under Bairia police station limits at around 9:21 pm on April 22.

'The ambulance was brought by village head Satyendra Yadav, who informed that a patient named Chhaththu Sharma needed to be taken to the hospital. The ambulance apparently did not have fuel, so it was taken to the petrol pump. Fuel was requested but not provided,' the District Magistrate said.

He added that CCTV footage confirms the arrival of the ambulance at the petrol pump. The staff at the petrol pump also admitted that the vehicle had come and that fuel was not provided.

'However, when asked for the reason, they claimed there was a shortage of fuel. Upon checking the stock, around 8,500 litres of petrol and over 4,500 litres of diesel were found available. This indicates that there was sufficient stock and fuel should have been provided. This was a mistake on their part,' Singh said.

Singh further said that officials have been sent to the spot for investigation and assured that strict action will follow if the allegations are proven. He stressed that vehicles engaged in essential services must not be denied fuel under any circumstances and responsibility will be fixed.

The incident occurred around 9:30 pm on Wednesday, when Sharma suffered severe chest pain. Following this, village head Satyendra Yadav rushed him to the hospital in an ambulance. However, the vehicle ran out of fuel on the way.

The ambulance was then taken to a petrol pump near Tengarahi, where fuel was allegedly refused despite repeated requests. Even after contacting the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Bairia, fuel was not provided, it was claimed.

Left with no alternative, those accompanying the patient arranged fuel by siphoning petrol from motorcycles and refuelled the ambulance before proceeding to the hospital. However, doctors declared Chhaththu Sharma dead on arrival. (ANI)