Protests have erupted in India's Assam state after a critically ill patient died following a police-ordered halt of his ambulance to allow the convoy of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to pass. The incident occurred on October 1, 2026, in Silchar city, and the patient, 42-year-old Rasaraj Chakraborty, died at the hospital early the next morning. Four police officers involved in the stoppage have been suspended and are under investigation for alleged negligence.
Ambulance Stopped at Ramnagar ISBT Junction
Chakraborty was being transported from his home district of Sribhumi to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for urgent treatment after his liver condition deteriorated. According to his family, the ambulance was pulled over at the Ramnagar ISBT junction while police cleared the road for Sarma's convoy. The hold-up lasted close to half an hour, as shown in a video that spread quickly online, sparking anger across the state.
Government Response and Official Statements
In the aftermath, four officers who were on duty during the stoppage were suspended and are now under investigation for negligence. Hospital officials and Chakraborty's family have both stated that his condition was already critical before the ambulance was stopped, and that the delay did not cause his death. Sarma took the same position, attributing the death to Chakraborty's underlying liver illness rather than the stoppage, while still criticising the broader practice of halting ambulances for VIP convoys.
"I do not believe the stoppage caused the death, but I strongly oppose the culture of holding up emergency vehicles for officials' movements," Sarma said, according to the source. In response to the public outcry, Assam's government has instructed police and district officials statewide to stop blocking ambulances during VIP travel. Sarma's office has also ordered that his own convoy be paused whenever an emergency vehicle needs to pass, and that the number of vehicles in his convoy be kept to the minimum required for security.
Broader Debate on VIP Convoys
The case has reopened a long-running debate in India over how much disruption VIP convoys should be allowed to cause ordinary citizens, particularly during medical emergencies. The government's directive aims to prevent similar incidents in the future, ensuring that emergency vehicles are given priority on the roads.
