Delhi Riots: 13 Deaths Reported at GTB Hospital, Around 150 Injured

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There are reports that the CT scan facility at the hospital is dysfunctional, something the authorities did not deny.

Delhi Riots: 13 Deaths Reported at GTB Hospital, Around 150 Injured

GTB hospital in New Delhi. Photo: The Wire

The Wire Staff

The Wire Staff 25 February 2020

New Delhi: The Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital in Shahdara confirmed on Tuesday that 10 people have died, while about 150 others were admitted there with serious injuries in violence that has rocked North East Delhi over the past three days. Later, reports said another person was brought dead to the hospital, taking the toll up to 11.

NDTV and Indian Express have individually reported that two others have died, leading the toll to further rise to 13.

The Wire’s correspondents have been able to confirm that one of the deaths took place in Mustafabad.

Giving these details, the hospital’s medical director Sunil Kumar said that about 70 of the injured have received bullet wounds. Hospital authorities said while 93 people were admitted with injuries on Monday, more were admitted on Tuesday, taking the total number of injured up to 186.

He added that two patients were also referred from the hospital to the JPN Trauma Centre. He said they have not been sent to the other hospital due to the absence of CT scan facility but due to the presence of a vascular surgeon at JPN Trauma Centre.

When asked if the CT scan machine was not functional in his Delhi government hospital, Kumar insisted that in emergency cases involving serious injuries, there is usually no need for a CT scan.

Some journalists also asked him if the issue of the non-functioning CT scan machine was discussed with Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia during their visit to the hospital. The doctor walked away saying he would not comment further on the matter.

Delhi lieutenant governor Anil Baijal also visited the hospital to enquire about the condition of the injured admitted there.

The national capital has been gripped by violence since Sunday evening, provoked by BJP leader Kapil Mishra, who demanded that anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protesters clear the sit-in demonstrations in Jaffrabad and Chandbagh. In many areas, shops, vehicles and private properties have been vandalised.