Chandigarh. Government of India has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for protection of Good Samaritans from Police harassment on January 22, 2016. Until a comprehensive legislation is established, this is a great victory and a welcome step in the right direction.
Smt. Kirron Kher, Member of Parliament, has been a staunch advocate for bringing about such a law and had also introduced a bill in Parliament titled Good Samaritan (Protection from Civil and Criminal Liabilities) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, 2014, to protect Good Samaritans from civil and criminal liabilities by establishing a supportive legal environment.
Arguing for the same, she had said “It is an extremely important piece of legislation because most people die in the first hour, either due to loss of blood due to lack of medical help, and I think in that one hour if they are attended to so many lives can be saved. So I think for India especially this is very important.You have trauma centres and hospitals and police station everywhere, so they all need to be sensitised. It has to be a part of the training of police personnel, so all that has to be in the training”.
It is estimated that over one lakh people die every year in road accidents. These lives could be saved if taken to the hospital at the right time. Therefore, to facilitate bystanders in doing the same and to do away with the barriers hindering them to save a life, a comprehensive law is required.