It was close to 10 o’clock in the morning. The DND flyover (Delhi–Noida Direct Flyway), an eight-laned 9.2 km (5.7 mi) long access-controlled expressway which connects Delhi to Noida was desolated.
A bike in full-speed was coming from the Noida side was stopped at the Police checkpoint on the way to Delhi. It was near Mayur Vihar on the eastern side of the Yamuna river. There were bloodstains on the rider’s cloth, and also the rider was without a helmet.
It is totally illegal to drive a two-wheeler without a helmet. Normally, if a person is caught without a helmet his papers are checked, and he is immediately charged with a fine of Rs. 600 to Rs. 1000/-. Not only this, the officials of the Motor Vehicle Department can disqualify the driving license for three months. During the lockdown, the penalty could have been severe.
The on-duty police officers stopped the bike, asked the papers for the bike, wanted to know the reason for fast driving without a helmet, and also the reason for the bloodstain on his clothes.
“Good Morning Sir. I am Bashir Beg coming from Sector 62, Noida. I am heading towards a blood bank near Akshardham to fetch a bottle of blood for my 61-year-old mother Raziya, who is suffering from thalassemia.
I was in a hurry of getting the blood as the blood bank does not have AB+ blood in their stock. Even being a universal blood recipient, nobody wants to donate blood to my mother. Even they were not ready to take my blood. The hospital member informed that I can get blood from a blood bank near Akshardham
In urgency, I forgot to carry the helmet, and while I was near Sector 15, the wheel of the bike skidded. The bloodstains are due to several cuts and bruises across my body.
However, I needed the blood at any cost. I picked up the bike and set off again without caring about the injury. Now, you have stopped me in order to check details.” Bashir said.
After over-hearing the entire incident, another officer Naman Pandey came forward and asked Bashir to sit in the police jeep. He asked another officer, David to drive the bike and follow the jeep.
Naman assured injured Bashir that he did not need to donate blood in this condition, instead, he would donate blood for Bashir’s mother.
Upon hearing of Naman’s decision, the on-duty officers immediately allowed him and David to go with Bashir.
Naman went to the blood bank near Akshardham, donated ‘O Negative’ blood (a universal donor), and David also donated ‘A positive’ blood. In return, Bashir got two bottles of AB+ blood. Bashir returned to the hospital along with Naman and David. He handed over the ‘AB+’ blood for his mother to the doctor. Naman ordered the hospital to do a checkup and bandage for Bashir at entirely no-cost.
David returned the bike keys to Bashir, and both the officers left.
By Arnab Das Gupta
