NEW DELHI: Panic gripped parts of the west, southeast and northwest Delhi on Sunday evening after rumours of violence spread on social media even as the police denied any such incident and appealed people to remain calm.
In the evening, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation tweeted about shutting down the entry and exit gates of seven metro stations— Tilak Nagar, Nangloi, Surajmal Stadium, Badarpur, Tughlakabad, Uttam Nagar west and Nawada — without giving any reason.
The stations were later reopened. Shopkeepers downed shutters and vendors closed weekly markets as people rushed home early in Subhash Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Janakpuri and Khyala areas in West Delhi.
“A rumour has been noticed that there is some tension in Khyala-Raghubir Nagar area of West District. There is no truth behind it... The situation is absolutely normal,” DCP West Deepak Purohit said.
“Some unsubstantiated reports of the tense situation in South East and West District are being circulated on social media. It is to reiterate that these are all rumours. Don’t pay attention to such rumours,” the Delhi Police tweeted. The DCPs of police districts and station house officers of police stations took to Twitter to assure people that their areas were peaceful and normal.
Tilak Nagar MLA Jarnail Singh said, “I reached the site as soon as I heard rumour of riots. I appeal to people to not believe the rumours." Representatives of food delivery apps refused to deliver in some areas. Aman Bhardwaj, who lives in Rohini, said the delivery boy who came with his food, refused to come to his house and asked him to come to the main road. “He looked visibly panicked,” added Aman.
Police chief visits injured DCP at hospital
The health of IPS officer Amit Sharma, who is undergoing treatment after suffering serious injuries during violence last week, has improved, with acting Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava visiting him in the hospital on Sunday, officials said. Sharma, who is posted as Deputy Commissioner of Police of Shahdara district, was hospitalised after injuring his head and hand during the violence.
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GTB hospital hands over 32 bodies
Of the 38 bodies of riot-hit victims at the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in Dilshad Garden, three still remain unidentified, hospital officials said on Sunday.
"Post-mortems on bodies of 32 of 38 bodies at the hospital have been performed and bodies handed over to bereaved families. Three of the six remaining bodies remain unidentified," officials told the media.
While 38 deaths were reported at the GTB Hospital, three were reported at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital. At the GTB Hospital, 28 victims were brought dead while 10 died during treatment.