NEW DELHI: On Sunday, the emergency ward of Lok Nayak Hospital (LNJP) was transformed into a high-security zone as the aftermath of the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station reached its doors, bringing a flood of patients, wailing families and an unprecedented police presence.
The Delhi government’s largest trauma centre turned into the epicentre of the unfortunate tragedy that led to a loss of 18 lives, many among them were children. At the hospital’s emergency, security personnel stood at every corner, their alert eyes scanning everyone who approached. Entry was strictly regulated and every attendant and patient faced intense scrutiny, papers checked before they could step inside.
Even within the emergency unit, uniformed officers were stationed every few metres, monitoring the chaos unfolding before them.
Journalists were kept at bay, their access restricted as authorities attempted to manage the chaos. A separate gate was allocated exclusively for the stampede victims.
As ambulances pulled in one after another, stretchers rushed past in a flurry of medical urgency. Most of the hospital’s medical staff was redirected to prioritise these critical patients, leaving others in distress. Sunita, a mother who had travelled from Hindu Rao Hospital with her seven-year-old child, stood anxiously in a corner, her voice laced with frustration and helplessness.
“We’ve been here for three hours. Hardly any attention has been given to my child,” she said, her eyes darting around, searching for someone who could help. Inside the ward, doctors and nurses worked tirelessly with exhaustion apparent in their worried faces and hurried movements.