A doctor was booked and slapped with a fine for obstructing the passage of an ambulance while it was on its way to a hospital with a patient in Kannur. The incident reportedly took place at Eranholi in Thalassery on Thursday (January 16) evening.

According to the police, a car obstructed the passage of the ambulance when it was proceeding with a critical patient on Nayanar Road here. The police identified the driver of the car as Rahul Raj, a doctor who runs a private clinic at Iritty.

The ambulance driver alleged that despite repeated sirens, the car did not give enough space for the ambulance to proceed. Based on his complaint, the Kathirur police registered a case against the doctor under various Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita including for blocking the path and obstructing the emergency vehicle, a police officer said. The Motor Vehicles department also imposed a fine of ₹5,000 on Rahul Raj, he added.

The doctor, however, claimed that he got panicked on hearing the siren of the ambulance, and he gave space for it to proceed as soon as it was possible for him, according to sources.