Police deny woman died due to security rehearsal

CHANDIGARH - Police here Friday refuted reports that a 65-year-old woman died as her ambulance got stuck in a traffic jam caused due to a security rehearsal.

According to the reports, Surjit Kaur, a resident of neighbouring Mohali town, died as her ambulance could not reach the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in time.

She was admitted at the government hospital in Sector 16, but referred to PGIMER, which is only a kilometre away. However, the ambulance got stuck in the traffic jam and took nearly 20 minutes to make the journey.

The jam was caused by a full-fledged security rehearsal on all the roads on which the cavalcade of visiting Nepali President Ram Baran Yadav was supposed to pass Friday.

“I was myself supervising the operations of the security rehearsal. No such incident had happened and we have not even received any complaint so far,” Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic)B.S. Negi told IANS.

Superintendent of Police (Traffic and Security) H.S. Doon however declined to comment, saying he was busy in the security arrangements of Nepals president.

Yadav had come to Chandigarh to attend the 31st convocation of PGIMER, from where he had done his post-graduation in 1985.