Protesters at Jantar Mantar find relief at free clinics set up by doctors
Sunny Deval, 29, whose entire right forearm was covered with a Band-Aid, entered a makeshift tent made of yellow tarpaulin at the Jantar Mantar protest site and complained that her hand was hurting again.
Soon, behind the tables full of medicines, a doctor with a stethoscope around his neck motioned him to come to the other end of the tables, sat him on a chair and began to remove the band-aid.
Throughout the day, scores of people went to the makeshift clinic to get ORS, medicine, band-aids or help for injuries. Doctors at the “free seva camp” said they had treated at least 150-200 people injured during the march since the evacuation on Monday, July 20, 2026.
Besides paracetamol, painkillers, Dettol bottles and sanitary pads, the clinic also has a machine to check blood pressure, oximeter and thermometers. Medicines and equipment were donated by the public and the 10-12 doctors working there.
Meanwhile, Mr. Deval, a physiotherapist at the clinic, screamed briefly when he pressed different parts of his hand and asked if it hurt.
“Can you go to the hospital?” Rajnish KR, a physiotherapist at the clinic, asked him. Mr Rajnish was reluctant, saying: “There appears to be a fracture and if you don’t go to hospital today or tomorrow you will be permanently unable to lift weights with this hand.”
He then administered medication, bandaged a band-aid, and made a temporary sling for Mr. Deval’s arm, as he agreed to go to the hospital.
“I came here to protest when I saw the posts on social media on Sunday, July 19. I have been working here as a volunteer since Monday. Many people came for treatment for their injuries. If we do not protest now, our next generation will be slaves,” he said.
Gaurav, 30, who completed MBBS and MD from Delhi, said they treated at least 300 protesters who were injured during Monday’s lathicharge.
“I came here at 8 am yesterday and stayed till midnight. Many injured people were coming and we even converted a table into a makeshift bed where we could treat them,” Mr. Gaurav said, adding that some injured people also arrived on Wednesday.
“One person had three dark slat marks on his back. Another was badly beaten, bruising his hip and tearing the soft tissue under his skin. We directed many people to go to hospital, but many were reluctant, fearing that if they walked out with band-aids or bruise marks, the police or authorities would take further action,” he said.
This clinic has been operating for more than three weeks but was expanded following Monday’s police intervention. Across the street from the clinic, across from the protest site, the Medical Service Center (MSC), a volunteer service group of doctors, operates a single-table clinic on Wednesday morning, July 22.
34 year old Dr. Anirban Bhaumik said that he took permission to serve the people here.
“Today, Monday, we treated at least 10 people injured in lathicharge. But most of the patients come with cold, headache and dehydration. We have a doctor who came from Kolkata to help and a nurse came from Madhya Pradesh to serve him. Everyone is helping each other,” he said.
It was published – 23 July 2026 03:08 IST
