How many road accidents have we come across in our lives? And how many times have we actually stopped and stepped out of our comfort zones to physically help the victim? The number of people that genuinely help a victim in need, instead of clicking pictures, taking videos or just standing and staring aimlessly, is shockingly low.
However, there is still a bit of humanity left in the world which came into limelight recently when senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Dr. Krishan Kumar came to the rescue of a road accident victim along the Puri-Bhubaneswar Highway near Kausalyaganj in Odisha.
Mr Kumnar moved the victim to a hospital in his vehicle, at a time when the roads were deserted due to the lockdown.
THE UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT
Dr. Kumar is at present posted as the State Works Secretary and the Chief Administrator of Jagannath Temple Administration. He had gone to Puri for evaluation of the ongoing chariot construction for Rath Yatra. The IAS officer was en route to Bhubaneswar when he saw a man profusely bleeding and crying for help along the highway.
The man, later identified as 38- year old Ratnakar Pradhan from Sakhigopal area in Puri district, was hit by a vehicle and was left on the road, seriously injured.
“We found him near Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) campus in Kausalyaganj area. He had sustained bruises on both his hands and on the left side of his face. He also had sustained head injuries but received no help as there were hardly any passers-by due to the lockdown,” stated Dr Kumar in an interview.
THE OFFICER TO THE RESCUE
With roads deserted during the Covid-induced lockdown and no helping hands around, Dr. Kumar asked his driver to stop the car. He then got down out of the vehicle and on understanding the seriousness of the man’s injury, immediately moved him in his car with the help of his driver and drove to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar.
“The man was groaning in pain. Perhaps he was hit by an unknown vehicle. He suffered serious injuries on his head and left hand. We immediately took him to the Capital Hospital in our vehicle. The patient’s condition is now stable,”said Dr. Kumar’s driver.
Not just this, the senior IAS officer stayed with the victim in the hospital for some time, to ensure he received timely treatment. Capital Hospital’s Director Dr Laxmidhar Sahoo and other doctors were present to check the health condition of Pradhan. A CT scan was conducted and injury to his head was found to be not critical by the doctors.
In an interview, Dr Krishan Kumar stated, “Anyone in my place would have done the same in the given circumstances.”
The 2002 batch officer is being praised by citizens all across social media for his Good Samaritan deed which a man’s life in the nick of time.
