Delhi violence: Death toll mounts to 34
New Delhi, Feb 27: The death toll in the communal violence in northeast Delhi over the amended citizenship law reached 34 on Thursday, senior officials said.
Seven more fatalities have been recorded at three hospitals, taking the total death toll in the northeast Delhi communal violence over the amended citizenship law to 34 on Thursday, according to senior officials.
Till Wednesday night, the total count of casualties had stood at 27, 25 of those at GTB Hospital in Dilshad Garden. "Five more deaths recorded at GTB Hospital, and one more death at LNJP Hospital.
One fatality was reported at Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital on Thursday, taking the total death toll to 34," a senior official of the Delhi Health Department told PTI. One person was declared brought dead by doctors, while another had died during treatment at the LNJP Hospital on Wednesday.
Over 50 patients have been provided treatment at the LNJP Hospital since the violence broke out on Sunday in various parts of northeast Delhi, officials at the hospital said. More than 200 people have been injured in the violence that raged in the areas over the last few days.
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On Tuesday, the death toll was 13. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had flagged that the situation has become "alarming" and the Army should be called in as police is "unable to control it".
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.
Meanwhile, television visual showed DCP Northeast Ved Prakash Surya along with a posse of police personnel conducting a flag march in the violence-hit areas seeking to boost confidence of people and bring the situation to normal. Chief Minister Kejriwal said the situation has become "alarming", adding that he is writing to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
After Monday night, incidents of arson, tension had smouldered in the national capital and on Tuesday, streets in several localities like Chand Bagh, Bhajanpura, Gokulpuri, Maujpur, Kardampuri and Jaffrabad saw pitched battles between the members of two groups who also hurled petrol bombs and opened fire. National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval late night also took stock of the situation.
106 people arrested, 18 FIRs filed in connection with Delhi violence: Police
Meanwhile, in a midnight hearing, the Delhi High Court directed police to ensure safe passage and emergency treatment for those injured in the violence over the amended citizenship law.
The hearing took place at the residence of Justice S Murlidhar on an urgent plea seeking safe passage for the injured to medical institutions with adequate facilities. The Delhi High Court later also directed police to respond by 12:30 pm on Wednesday to a plea seeking lodging of FIRs and arrests of those involved in the ongoing communal violence in parts of northeast Delhi over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).