On 15 August, Narendra Kumar was hit by a speeding car near the Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT), Kashmere Gate in North Delhi. He lay there, injured for about 12 hours because no one offered to help him, although many spared a glance or gave him water to drink, reports Hindustan Times.

This was, however, not the end to Kumar’s ordeal – a couple of passers-by stole his phone, a bag of cash and Rs 12 that had fallen out of his pocket instead of rushing him to a hospital or informing the police.

It was only in the wee hours of 16 August that Kumar was taken to Sushruta Trauma Centre by the police after they were informed by a passer-by. Later, he was referred to the Safdarjung Hospital.

A driver by profession, Kumar hails from Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh and works in Jaipur, Rajasthan. On that fateful day, he was travelling back to his village via Delhi.

The car, which remains unidentified, had hit him badly and had incurred severe injuries in leg, neck and spine. Doctors have, however, said that Kumar is out of danger.

Kumar has recalled the myriad reactions he had received from the people passing him on the road. He was unable to move as he had hurt his spine, and since he was not bleeding, people mistook him for a drunkard.

Some took a glance at him and went their way, some wanted to help him but said that they had no mobile phones, whereas some offered him water and left it at that.

“It was an extremely unfortunate incident in which people not only ignored the accident victim, but some also stole from him. We have added the section pertaining to theft in the case registered in this connection,” said Jatin Narwal, DCP (north) speaking to Hindustan Times. However, no headway has been made in the case.

Considering that ISBT Kashmere Gate is a bustling area and is always flooded with people and vehicles, it is baffling to see how Kumar did not get any help earlier. While we were celebrating the 70th anniversary of Indian independence, it is appalling to look at how we have turned a blind eye to our social responsibility towards someone who met with a serious accident and was lying on the road, pleading for help.

A similar incident had occurred in Delhi’s Subhash Nagar where a 40-year-old e-rickshaw driver was bled to death on the road after being hit by tempo.

The Logical Indian community severely condemns the entire episode and hopes that instead of showing fake love for an abstract concept of the ‘nation’; we need to be more empathetic towards our fellow human beings.