108 Ambulance Hits, Kills Young Woman in Guwahati; Employees’ Association Blames Management

The day of Saraswati Puja ended in tragedy in Guwahati on Friday after a speeding 108 ambulance hit and killed a young woman at Kahilipara.

The deceased has been identified as Luna Bhardwaj, a student of J.B. Law College and a resident of Uttar Shalmara in Bongaigaon district. Luna was just days away from starting a new chapter in her life, as she was scheduled to join Axis Bank in two days.

The accident also left a young man, Achyut Baruah, critically injured. He was rushed to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) for treatment. Achyut is a resident of Dergaon in Golaghat district.

According to police sources, the 108 ambulance driver fled the spot immediately after the accident. The vehicle has since been seized by Dispur Police, and an investigation is underway.

108 Employees Allege Use of Untrained Drivers, Blame GVK EMRI

The 108 ambulance employees who had been protesting in Guwahati for a long time, they alleged that the tragedy was the result of negligence by the ambulance service management.

According to the 108 Employees’ Association, the driver involved in the accident was not properly trained and had been temporarily appointed. The association claimed that during recent protests by permanent and trained staff, inexperienced drivers were deployed to keep services operational, ultimately leading to the fatal accident.

The employees squarely blamed GVK EMRI, the agency managing the 108 ambulance service, accusing it of serious lapses in recruitment, training and safety oversight.

Reacting strongly to the incident, Ganesh Gogoi, joint secretary of the All Assam 108 Employees’ Association, said the loss of life could have been prevented.

He stated that deploying untrained drivers to operate emergency vehicles put lives at risk and demanded strict action against those responsible. Gogoi also urged the government to ensure that only trained and experienced personnel are allowed to drive ambulances meant for lifesaving services.

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