A 12-year-old boy had to ferry his ailing grandmother to a community health centre in a cart in the neighbouring Basti district as no ambulance was available, prompting the district administration to order a probe.

The boy was with his 85-year-old grandmother at his home at Kamalpur village on June 22 afternoon when her condition suddenly started deteriorating. Neighbours tried to call an ambulance, but unfortunately none was available. The boy then decided to carry her in a cart to the Vikramjot community health centre, around 3 kilometres from his village.

"My grandmother was crying in pain and her condition was deteriorating with every passing minute. My neighbours tried to help me and they called government ambulance on phone but none turn up. I waited for sometime and then decided to take my daadi on a thelaa (cart) which was available in the village," the boy said.

The woman is undergoing treatment at the health care centre. Her son, a labourer, said "My financial condition is not good and I am not able to provide good treatment to my mother. My son took her to the CHC when I was not home. Now doctors are asking me to get some tests done from outside of the hospital. I am trying to arrange money for that."

When contacted, officiating district magistrate Arvind Pandey said, "We have taken cognisance of the incident. A probe has been ordered under chief medical officer of the district. Report will be submitted within two days, and strict action will be taken against the culprits."