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always come forward to attend them.”
The Department of Road Transport and Highways had also sent letter
dated 19.2.2004 to the States and Union Territories enclosing a Circular issued
by the police authorities in Delhi in order to build confidence in the public for
helping road accident victims. The Circular stated that it is likely that the
person who brings the injured to the hospital would hesitate to provide his
particulars, and in such a case, it should not be insisted upon. Furthermore, it
was also stated therein that the escorters or the person who bring the victims to
the hospital should, under no circumstances, be detained in the hospital for
interrogation. It was suggested in the said letter that action on similar lines
may be considered by the States and UTs.
7. The people have the notion that touching the body could lend them
liable for police interrogation. Passerby plays safe and chose to wait for the
police to arrive whereas injured gradually bleeds to death. People are reluctant
to come forward for help despite, desperate attempts to get help from passerby,
by and large they turn blind eyes to the person in distress. Sometimes those
who help are rebuked due to ignorance by the others on touching the scene. In
the case of a convoy even when there are several vehicles in the convoy,
people wait for the ambulance to arrive and also for the concerned police help.
There are several desisting factors which are required to be taken care of such
as fear of legal consequences if once action is ineffective or harmful to victim,
fear of involvement in subsequent prolonged investigation and visit to the
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