A 30-year-old young filmmaker identified as Piyush Pal lost his life on Tuesday (31st October) after having met with an accident in east Delhi on 28th October. Pal was lying on Delhi Street bleeding nearly for 30 minutes but no one came to his help. The bystanders, unfortunately, chose to photograph and videotape him instead of helping him as he lay on the ground fighting for his life. Pal was taken to the hospital around half an hour later but he could not be saved even after the treatment.
According to CCTV footage from a nearby petrol station, the victim collided with another bike and fell to the ground. He had suffered severe facial and head injuries. The incident happened at 9:45 pm on Saturday (28th October), on the Outer Ring Road, in the lane leading from the IIT crossing to Nehru Place in Delhi. Pal had lost a lot of blood, according to one of the few who stopped to help him, and people who were there said he had been lying there for at least 30 minutes on the road.
Later, one Pankaj Jain saw Piyush Pal struggling for his life and rushed him to a nearby clinic. He was then referred to PSRI Multispeciality Hospital on Press Enclave Marg which is 4 km away from the clinic. The victim finally received medical attention at 11 p.m. His health by then had already experienced suffering as a result of the treatment delay.
According to a report by the Times of India, someone also called the Police Control Room by 10:11 p.m. that day. The Police reached the spot but saw the victim shifted to the hospital by then. The police also said that no eye-witnesses were spotted at the location of the accident and that the other person identified as Bunty, 26, with whom Pal’s vehicle collided had also been shifted to the AIIMS trauma centre.
Chandan Choudhury, DCP, South commented on the matter and said that the victim had collided with Bunty’s vehicle which led to the accident. However, Pal’s friend refused to accept this version. Pal worked as a freelance photographer in Gurugram while Bunty also belongs to Gurugram.
“Case has been registered based on Bunty’s statement and CCTV footage obtained from the spot. Sections of rash driving have been added against Bunty. On Tuesday we received the news of Pal’s unfortunate death,” DCP stated.
Pal’s friend Swarnendu Bose meanwhile revealed that Pal’s laptop, camera and phone were also taken away after the accident. “The worst part is that for a long time, no one stepped forward to take him to the hospital or help him. The people who finally took him to the hospital told us that bystanders were recording videos and taking selfies but no one was helping him,” said Bose.
“His mobile phone and laptop and GoPro camera were taken away. His parents were trying to reach him on his phone but the person who took it kept cutting the calls and later switched off the phone. Had someone taken those calls and told the family, things could have been different,” he added.
Pal, according to Bose, had purchased a new Hero X Pulse bike and was likely returning from a fitness centre in R K Puram when the accident occurred.
Dr. Sumit Goyal, the head of neuro intervention and senior consultant of neurosurgery at PSRI Hospital, confirmed the death of the victim and said, “The patient was brought to the hospital around 11 p.m. He was in a very critical condition with severe head and facial injuries. He was immediately put on ventilator support and medicines were started to stabilise his falling blood pressure. However, with such severe injuries, despite all efforts, he passed away.”
The dead body of the victim was handed over to his family after the autopsy. Pal’s family operates a shop at Chittaranjan Park in Delhi. The cremation procedure of the victim concluded on Wednesday (November 1st) evening.
