Death toll in northeast Delhi violence rises to 22

The death toll in northeast Delhi violence over the amended citizenship law rose to 22 on Wednesday afternoon, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for calm and peace in the national capital.

While 21 deaths have been reported in Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital, one person died in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, news agency ANI reported.

According to GTB Hospital authorities, the number of injured now stands at 189, however, the situation at the hospital “seems to be settling”. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier in the day flagged that the situation has become “alarming” and the Army should be called in as police are “unable to control it”.

Government sources, however, said that the Army won’t be called. The Centre, however, deployed 800 additional troops in affected areas of Delhi. For Delhi violence LIVE UPDATES, click here

Communal violence over the amended citizenship law had escalated in northeast Delhi on Tuesday as police struggled to check the rioters who ran amok on streets, burning and looting shops, pelting stones and thrashing people. On Tuesday, the death toll was 13.

Earlier, at least four bodies were brought to the Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital from the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) Hospital, a senior official said.

Later, while interacting with reporters, GTB MS said, from Tuesday midnight it is a “trickle of patients and not a gush of injured persons as was earlier”.

These patients have several kinds of injuries, including from gunshots, many sustained trauma from jumping from rooftops to escape violence, many received head injuries, he said.

“We are fully prepared with doctors, nurses, paramedics, consumables, linen and other paraphernalia and hoping that the situation won’t worsen from here,” he said.

Asked if the victims have been identified, Kumar said, “Many people have been identified, some are yet to be”.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)