Couple killed, two injured after ambulance ploughs into motorcycles at Bengaluru red signal

Dubai: In a tragic irony, an ambulance — a vehicle meant to save lives — turned killer in Bengaluru on Saturday night when it lost control and rammed into several motorcycles waiting at a red signal, killing a couple on the spot and injuring two others.

The tragedy comes barely a week after a similar ambulance accident in West Bengal that claimed two lives.

The horrific crash took place near the city’s Richmond Circle around 11 p.m., when several two-wheelers had stopped at a red light. The speeding ambulance ploughed into them from behind, hitting three motorcycles and dragging one for several metres before coming to a halt after crashing into a police outpost.

The impact was so strong that one of the bikes was completely crushed under the vehicle. Witnesses said the ambulance appeared to be moving at very high speed and did not attempt to brake before the collision.

The victims were identified as Ismail (40) and his wife Sameen Banu, residents of Bengaluru, who were riding a Dio scooter. Both died on the spot. Two others sustained serious injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Visuals from the scene showed bystanders trying to lift the ambulance to rescue those trapped beneath. Damaged motorcycles and the partially destroyed police outpost bore testimony to the force of the crash.

Police from Wilson Garden Traffic Station arrived promptly, cordoned off the area, and conducted an inspection. The driver, identified as Ashok, was taken into custody. A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against him under charges of rash and negligent driving.

Authorities are investigating whether the ambulance was ferrying a patient at the time and if the driver was under the influence of alcohol or driving beyond permitted speed limits.

Just days earlier, in West Bengal’s North Dinajpur district, two masons — Luv Pal and Utpal Pal — were crushed to death by a speeding ambulance in the Ladukhwa area of Goalpokhar. The driver fled the scene soon after, prompting police to launch a manhunt.

Eyewitnesses in that case alleged the driver was inebriated and driving at high speed when he lost control of the vehicle. The victims’ families have demanded strict action, while the police have registered a hit-and-run case and are tracing the ambulance.

The Bengaluru crash has reignited debate over road safety and the misuse of emergency vehicles, which are often seen violating traffic rules even when not responding to emergencies.