- Barricading at Banke Bihari temple area leads to tragic death of a resident who wished to die at home
Kaushal Kishor Gautam, a resident of Manipada, passed away tragically in a dharamshala instead of his home, as his last wish to die at home remained unfulfilled due to barricades put up in the Banke Bihari temple area.
Shri Gautam had been suffering from an illness for several months and required dialysis twice a week at a hospital. Due to the barricading, Gautam’s relatives had to transport him to the hospital on a two-wheeler, as there was no way for an ambulance to reach their home. During his last visit to the hospital for dialysis, Gautam’s health deteriorated, and doctors eventually gave up on his treatment. At that point, Gautam expressed his last desire to be taken home. However, due to the barricading, it was not possible for the ambulance to carry him back to his home in the Manipada area. Gautam’s family members had no choice but to take him to Shri Ram Yatri Niwas Dharamshala in Gautam Pada, where he eventually passed away.
The incident has caused anger among the local people, and Kaushal Kishor Gautam’s son, Anmol Gautam, has criticized the barricading, stating that it has become a nuisance and is creating a dangerous situation. Anmol Gautam further added that barricading has made the situation like a prison, where vehicles are unable to reach even in emergencies. He also stated that his father’s hope of going home with an oxygen cylinder succumbed to the barricading.
It is clear that the barricading in the Banke Bihari temple area has failed to address its primary objective of crowd control, and instead has created a dangerous situation where emergency services are unable to reach those in need. The tragic incident involving Kaushal Kishor Gautam is a stark reminder of the urgent need for authorities to reassess the effectiveness of such measures and prioritize the safety of residents.
The local administration must not turn a blind eye to this incident and must take immediate steps to ensure that necessary measures are in place to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. This includes ensuring that emergency services have unhindered access to all areas, and that citizens are not put at risk due to ill-conceived measures. The community deserves better, and it is the responsibility of the authorities to prioritize the wellbeing of its citizens above all else.
