This was the scene in an accident and emergency department in a tertiary hospital of New Delhi: the patient had sustained poly-trauma in a high-speed road traffic accident, but lay unattended, on the road, because the police had not arrived, and bystanders did not attempt to help the victim for fear of legal consequences. After the arrival of the police, the patient was transported to the hospital. However, without primary medical treatment and without knowledge of the status of his cervical spine, he was repeatedly pulled up and down by laymen.