With 23 injured admitted, chaos at trauma centre

Overwhelmed doctors say they couldn’t cope with the influx. Initially, 14 victims arrived, in 2 JNU ambulances and private vehicles, who were rushed into the triage area to divide them as per seriousness of their injuries

It was utter chaos outside the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Trauma Centre after 23 people injured in the violence at JNU landed up in the hospital emergency unit, one after another within a span of an hour and a half, beginning 5.08pm on Sunday.

JNU students protest against the attack on students inside campus, at Police Headquarters, in New Delhi, India, on Sunday, January 5, 2020. (Photo: Sanchit Khanna/ Hindustan Times))

Overwhelmed doctors say they couldn’t cope with the influx. Initially, 14 victims arrived, in 2 JNU ambulances and private vehicles, who were rushed into the triage area to divide them as per seriousness of their injuries. As it was a Sunday, the hospital was working on a less than usual staff strength, and has to call in more people to lend a helping hand.

As per the hospital protocol, patients were segregated for three colour coded areas: red (serious looking injuries needing thorough investigation and admission), yellow (injuries needing evaluation and observation, and may not need admission) and green colour (minor injuries needing first aid). Two patients were put in red zone as they had sustained chest compression and head wounds.

Within 30 minutes of the first patient having reached the hospital, VIP visitors started pouring, including Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Delhi Congress leaders Subhash Chopra and Arvinder Lovely also accompanied her.

As a result there was a huge crowd that had gathered outside the trauma centre emergency, and the guards had a tough time in controlling the rush of people within the hospital premises.

By 10.30pm, however, six victims had been discharged, five from the green zone and one from the yellow zone.

Violence broke out at JNU on Sunday night as masked miscreants armed with sticks attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in the police.

At least 18 people, including JNU Students’ Union president Aishe Ghosh, were injured and admitted to AIIMS as chaos reigned on the campus for nearly two hours.