Injured in riot, kin try to cope with aftermath of violence at hospital

NEW DELHI: Khan Chacha was sitting on his bed waiting for the doctors to arrive and discharge him. It was hit by a bullet on his left hand, but the doctors said he was out of danger. Cursing no one in particular, Khan Chacha was worried about the expenses he would have to endure after he is discharged from the hospital.

“Here everything is free, after this I am concerned about the finances,” he said while coversing with the correspondent. His son who had somehow managed to come from Seelampur said he was stuck away from home due to violence and was able to get out after two days.

Meanwhile, in the adjacent bed lay Faizan, a 14-year-old boy, who was hit by a bullet in the lower back. “Doctors have said his nerves have burst and they hold no responsibility whether he will be able to walk or not,” his grandmother told the correspondent.

Most of the injured people belong to poor class families and said they are too scared to go out of the hospital. “The doctor will discharge me today, but I am too scared to go home,” said an injured resident of Mustafabad, whose wife was silently sobbing by his side.

Riaz said a large mob started running towards them from Bridge Puri, after which a stampede like situation was created. “I ran away from the mob, but was suddenly by something on the chest,” he said while showing an injury that looked like a bullet wound.

His hand was fractured and he was shivering. “We can't go back,” he said looking around. Doctors were coming in to check on the injured patients after every ten minutes. Many moaned with pain and prayed for it to get over. “Are we not the citizens of this country? Is this the way we will be treated for raising our voices,” said a man who didn't want to be recognised and was sitting with his injured brother.

The emergency ward is filled with stories of families trying to cope up after the violence, even as the situation remains tense on the ground. At least 38 people have died, out of which more than 30 were in Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital alone, in the three-day violence that engulfed the national Capital, according to hospital officials. Meanwhile, three people have died at Lok Nayak and one at Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital. On the other hand, more than 300 people have been reportedly injured and are admitted in different hospitals.