The intervening night between February 25 and 26, 2020 remained tense as large parts of North East Delhi continued to burn. But things came to a head when ambulances were prevented from entering minority neighbourhoods to help injured people there.
Pro Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) groups allegedly laid virtual siege to the Mustafabad area preventing people suffering from critical injuries, some of them bullet wounds, from getting urgent medical attention. Moreover, patients at the nearby Al Hind Hospital who required more specialized care were also prevented from moving out of the hospital. Repeated attempts to seek help from the Delhi police failed to bear fruit and injured people were virtually held hostage by pro-CAA groups.
In a series of tweets Aam Aadmi Party member Shalin Mitra explained the dire situation:
I have got many requests for Ambulances to shift patients from Al-Hind hospital, our Drivers are not able to reach B Block in Mustafabad, I have been informed that over 18 patients with severe injuries need immediate help.@DelhiPolice Plz help to clear passage.
cc: @hajimyunus— Shaleen (@ShaleenMitra) February 25, 2020
Ambulances have been stalled at Brijpuri T-point, around One KM from the Al-Hind Hospital, Police not letting them in forget help to reach out to the hospital.
Such pity state of Law and Order in Delhi.
— Shaleen (@ShaleenMitra) February 25, 2020
CJP had also been receiving desperate calls of help for several hours. Late at night CJP secretary Teesta Setalvad made a video appeal to Delhi Police to take cognizance of the humanitarian crisis unfolding around them and asking them to ensure safe passage for ambulances.
Around midnight, activist Rahul Roy moved Delhi High Court leading to a two-judge bench convening a special hearing late at night at the home of Justice S Muralidhar. He and Justice AJ Bhambhani heard the phone testimony of Dr Anwar of Al Hind Hospital who informed the court that 2 people were dead and 22 injured were at the hospital. Al Hind is a small hospital and is unable to provide the critical care required by many of the injured.
The court then directed Deepak Gupta, DCP East Delhi to reach the hospital and ensure safe passage for the injured so that they may be transferred to GTB Hospital, LNJP Hospital, Maulana Azad Hospital or any other hospital where they can get the care they deserve. The court order may be read here:
