Shimla – In a startling revelation, police in the capital city of Shimla have arrested an ambulance driver after discovering hashish hidden in the emergency vehicle. This marks the first known incident of narcotics being found in an ambulance within the city, raising serious concerns about the misuse of emergency services vehicles.
The arrest occurred during a routine vehicle check at a police checkpoint near Lalpani on the Khalini-Tutikandi road, under the jurisdiction of Sadar police station. Late at night, an ambulance travelling from ISBT towards Khalini was stopped for a document check. When officers requested the documents from the driver, identified as Dushyant Kumar, they detected the distinct odor of hashish. This prompted a thorough search of the vehicle.
During the search, police recovered approximately 1.55 grams of hashish hidden in various locations within the ambulance, including the dashboard. The ambulance has been taken into custody, and a case has been registered against Kumar under multiple sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Kumar was presented in court on Tuesday.
According to the police, the ambulance was operated by a local social organization and was typically used for transporting patients to hospitals within the city. The discovery has sparked concerns about the potential use of emergency vehicles for drug trafficking. In response, authorities have announced that they will increase scrutiny on patient transport vehicles operated by social organizations.
SP Shimla expressed shock over the incident, stating, “It is deeply concerning to find narcotics in a vehicle meant to save lives. We are committed to ensuring that such misuse of emergency services is stopped immediately.”
As part of the ongoing investigation, police aim to determine the source of the hashish and the intended destination of the consignment. This incident underscores the need for vigilance and stringent checks on all vehicles, including those serving critical healthcare functions, to prevent the misuse of such services for illegal activities.
The arrest has also prompted local authorities to review the operations of social organizations running patient transport services. “We will be conducting thorough checks and audits to ensure that all such vehicles are being used for their intended purposes and not for illegal activities,” added SP Shimla.
