Road Mishaps: Odisha Police Officers Empowered To Endorse Good Samaritans For Cash Reward

Cuttack: The Odisha government has amended the Good Samaritan Policy-2018 empowering the police officers to endorse and issue recommendation letters to the saviours of road accident victims for cash rewards.

As per the police that was introduced in the state to recognise and encourage people to save and assist the accidents victims during the first hour of road accidents termed as ‘golden hour’, the hospital authorities not below the rank of assistant surgeon who receive the accident patient were authorised to recommend names of Good Samaritan to the respective RTOs for cash reward.

However, it was observed that in most of the cases, the doctors were not able to recommend names of Good Samaritan due to their busy schedule. In this context, State Transport Authority (STA) proposed to the government that other than the assistant surgeon, the IO/EO/IIC of the police station inquiring into the accident cases may be authorised to recommend the names of the Good Samaritans to the RTOs so that more people can be rewarded for their noble deed.

The government has approved the proposal and amended the Clause 21 of the policy. Now, the hospital authority not below the rank of Assistant Surgeon or IO/EO/IIC of the police station can recommend names of Good Samaritan to the respective RTOs for reward, according to an STA release.

Under the policy, the Good Samaritan or the bystander is rewarded with Rs 2,000 in cash to encourage the people to come forward and help the road accident victims by admitting them in hospitals.