Chaos, panic in city hospitals

New Delhi: Cries of pain and emotions, prints of blood and chaos, anxious families asking questions from clueless nurses were what Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital (GTB) witnessed on Tuesday, as the North-East part of Delhi was submerged in communal violence.

Doctors were running around from one ward to the other, while journalists captured the injuries of everybody that came in. But for families of the victims, it was not just injuries, it was a cry of pain to what they had witnessed. "In my entire life, I have never seen Delhi like this," said a woman, waiting anxiously for the report of her loved one.

Meanwhile, a burqa-clad woman limped her way through the floors of the emergency ward, trying to find her husband. In front of her two men rushed an injured young boy to the emergency ward. Mohammed was rushed to the hospital with a bullet injury on his neck. He had lost consciousness, while nurses rushed to and fro. There were confusion, chaos and anger at the hospital, with the doctors trying to ease the situation. Men, women and even children were brutally injured in the violence that has erupted in the North-East part of Delhi.

Numerous injured were also brought to Max Hospital at Patparganj. According to GTB Hospital MD Sunil Kumar, almost 150 people have been injured in the two days violence that has instilled the national Capital. At GTB Hospital, doctors rushed the patients into the emergency wards. Ambulances kept coming in and patients with harmful injuries were rushed to the emergency section.

The patients were brought in from different areas where the violence took place, which included Babarpur, Gokalpuri, Maujpur, Seelampur, Jaffarabad among other areas, which have been affected. "We have till now received 73 patients who have been injured, out of which 30 have been rushed with bullet injuries," said MD Kumar. Families of the injured sat outside the operation theatres, while no one was allowed to go in due to the chaos inside the hospital.

Most of the injured belonged to the marginalised community. Aseema rushed in her 14-year-old grandson with a bullet injury. "Doctors say he is out of danger now," she sobbed. Aseema came from a poor family and had no money. Her neighbours helped her out. Many injured were brought in till late evening in both the hospitals. Meanwhile, heavy police was deployed in the hospital. The hospital has been brimming with injured people from both the Hindu and Muslim communities since Sunday night when the violence escalated in North East Delhi.

Journalists were also admitted to GTB Hospital with injuries, where one reporter was shot. He is undergoing an operation at the hospital. The hospital faced the issue with ambulances and crunch of staff, with many injured complaining they were not being tended to properly. The injured included major injuries like bullet, stone and beatings with sharp objects. Not all injured brought in were part of the protest.

Delhi is still witnessing violence in many parts, where the hospitals have been asked to be vigilant and security has also been increased.