Over 100 Injured in Delhi Police Lathicharge at NEET Protest March
On Monday, over 100 protesters participating in a march against recent NEET exam cancellations were injured following a police lathicharge at Sansad Marg in New Delhi. The protesters had gathered for a 'Sansad Chalo' march demanding action on the issue. The injured were taken to Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, where several required intensive care.
Among the critically injured is Ravi, a 24-year-old e-rickshaw driver from Muzaffarnagar, who sustained severe head injuries and intracranial bleeding. According to his brother Shyam, police fired tear gas and then began lathicharging without warning. 'One policeman started hitting Ravi on the head multiple times, then he went down. We somehow managed to get him here,' Shyam told The Indian Express. Ravi remains in the ICU with a brain bleed.
Hospital officials confirmed that they treated around 100 people by late afternoon, including 90 protesters and 10 police personnel. Four protesters were admitted to the ICU. Many patients required stitches on the head, tetanus injections, and wound dressing. Some needed CT scans, X-rays, and orthopaedic surgeries. Due to the overwhelming number of casualties, RML Hospital temporarily stopped accepting patients, redirecting some to Lady Hardinge Hospital.
The protests stretched from Gole Dak Khana near Connaught Place through Jantar Mantar to India Gate. Police dispersed the crowds with tear gas and lathicharges, leading to a stampede-like situation where several protesters were trampled. Witnesses reported that the police gave no warning before charging.
Rishi Raj Singh, 21, from Rajasthan, had stitches on his head and remarked, 'These things are expected when you fight with power.' Vishal, 22, from Haryana, lay on a stretcher with a severely bruised leg waiting for an X-ray, claiming the lathicharge began without warning. Azam Khan from Shadipur said his friend Akhlaq was trampled and found lying face down for half an hour before being taken to hospital in an auto-rickshaw.
The incident highlights tensions surrounding the NEET exam cancellations, which have sparked protests across the country. The Delhi Police's actions have drawn criticism from some quarters, but official statements on the matter are awaited.
