Mumbai:
A sick man, apparently in his 60s, died in the pilgrim town of Shirdi after he was taken to a hospital in a municipal council's waste collection van.
Visuals of civic workers hauling the man in the dumper truck were aired by some Marathi TV channels today sparking an outrage.
In the video clip, the driver of the vehicle is asked if he is aware as to what is being hauled into the truck. "A man," is all he responds and fends off further queries.
The man, who had severe breathing problems and could barely talk, died shortly after he was taken by the truck to a hospital, an official of the Shirdi municipal council said.
"Sawant (Health Minister Deepak Sawant) should resign immediately. Despite the 108 ambulance service in operation, it's shameful that the old man was carted off in a kachra gadi (garbage van)," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said.
"This is a conspiracy to revive Shiv Sena's ambulance service 'business' by stopping 108 service," he claimed.
Leader of Opposition Radhakrisha Vikhe Patil, who hails from Ahmednagar district where Shirdi is located, said he has asked the local Sub Divisional Officer to probe the incident.
"It was wrong on the part of the Shirdi municipal council to indulge in such inhuman behaviour," the Congress leader said.