New Delhi: Fractures, blood clots, deep cuts and head injuries. Dozens of protesters who took to the streets of Central Delhi as part of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP’s) march to Parliament ended up in hospital after security forces unleashed intense lathicharge and tear gas action.
At least 30 people were admitted at Lok Nayak Hospital (LNJP), 38 at Lady Hardinge Medical College and 65 at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital as of early Tuesday, ThePrint has learnt.
At LNJP, Shaoni Bua, a protester from Pune, was tending to her wounds in the emergency room. She had several injuries on her legs and back. Large patches of blood clots were visible. “The doctor in the emergency ward has told me to get an X-ray done. He suspects fracture and severe blood clotting in several parts of my body,” said Shaoni.
Standing before her in a queue was Vaibhav, a law student from Maharashtra’s Bhandara district. “I was first lathicharged and then taken to Parliament Street police station where I was brutally beaten up by the Delhi Police in front of several detainees until D. Raja sir came to help us,” Vaibhav told The Print. He also alleged that police personnel used cuss words and relentlessly beat him up after continuously asking, ‘Aur protest karega?’.
A few kilometres away in Lady Hardinge Hospital, three Delhi Police vehicles brought in several protesters around around 11.30 pm. “The fresh lot that have been admitted have blood clots on different parts of the body, some have their nails ripped and are in the surgical emergency room, while others who have bleeding issues were treated and released early,” said a doctor at the medical facility.
She added that apart from protesters, several police officers were also brought in. “There were two officers who had fractures and deep cuts, while the others had minor injuries which were treated and released by Monday evening.”
At RML, where the majority of the injured were brought in, the scene was grim. Radhika, a protester, was sitting inside the orthopaedic emergency room with serious injuries and major blood loss. “They first began hitting all of us who were standing on the footpath near Patel Chowk, then threw tear gas in our direction. My eyes, nose and throat were burning and I could hardly see anything when they began to lathicharge us,” she said.
Radhika had sustained head and bone injuries. “The doctor here has not yet told me if I need a plaster or a surgery, but I’m in a lot of pain,” she told ThePrint.
Meanwhile, another man was brought to RML with severe injuries to his upper body and face while this reporter was present. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das, who was also present, alleged that the man got injured by pellet guns used by the Delhi Police. When ThePrint sought a comment from the hospital authorities, no information about his injuries or treatment was shared. A doctor who did not wish to be named said that the man was being moved to the surgical wing of the emergency ward.
According to a Delhi Police statement, more than 118 police personnel and around 60 protesters were injured during Monday’s protest.
The “protesters displayed unruly, aggressive and violent behaviour”, it further said.
“Despite repeated warnings and lawful directions issued by the police, they refused to disperse and deliberately violated the prohibitory orders in force. The protesters attacked police personnel with stones and other objects, attempted to breach police barricades, vandalised police and other government vehicles, damaged public property, and resorted to large-scale violence, posing a serious threat to public order, the security arrangements in place, and the safety of police personnel performing their lawful duties,” said the Delhi Police statement.
As of Tuesday morning, around 80 students had been discharged from hospitals after receiving treatment.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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