Maharashtra: Mrityunjay Doots save lives of 277 accident victims in last three months

Mrityunjay Doots being trained to provide first aid to those injured in accidents

An initiative of the highway police to set up ‘Mrityunjay Doot' teams at accident-prone areas across Thane, Raigad, Pune and Nagpur region, has helped to save 277 lives over the past three months. These teams include people living in the nearby villages, workers at petrol pumps and dhabas and those associated with social organisations, who are trained to provide first aid to accident victims. The concept was implemented on March 1 this year.

According to data, from December 1, 2020 to February 8, 2021, there were 605 fatal accidents in the Pune region in which 684 people died. In the same period there were 273 fatal accidents in Nagpur region in which 304 people died and 146 fatal accidents in Thane region in which 180 people died. Also, there were 28 fatal accidents in Raigad region from January 1, 2021 to February 28, 2021 in which 35 people died.

There are a total of 5,012 Mrityunjay Doots working near the highways in Thane, Raigad, Pune and Nagpur region. From March 1 to May 31, 309 people were injured in 172 accidents. Out of these 309, 277 people survived because of the Doots. Pune region has the highest number of Doots at 3,480. In the region, 141 lives were saved in 62 accidents.

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There are 546 Doots in Thane area and 119 lives were saved in 62 accidents. Raigad region also has 351 doots and 39 lives were saved in 34 accidents. Nagpur region has 635 doots and 15 lives were saved in nine accidents.

Bhushan Upadhyay, additional director general of police, Highway Traffic, said, "We have identified such black spots on the highway where more accidents happen. The Doots have been given complete training on how to give first aid to injured people. They have also been trained in picking up an injured person and placing him/her on a stretcher. Stretchers have also been provided to the teams with help from NGOs."

Upadhyay further told mid-day, "After an accident, the injured person should get treatment within an hour, which is called the Golden Hour. If the injured person does not get treatment within the Golden Hour, then it becomes difficult to save him/her. Hence, we are trying to rope in common people as Mrityunjay Doots so that the injured can be taken to hospital at the earliest."