Netas Speak, More Deaths: How the Day Unfolded Amid Delhi Violence
Houses burnt, over twenty people dead, shops vandalised, around 180 injured and Delhi, burning – here’s a timeline.
Video Editor: Sandeep Suman
Houses burnt. Over twenty people dead. Shops vandalised. Around 180 injured. Delhi, burning. Here's a timeline of what happened today, 26 February.
1:42 am: Delhi High Court, in an urgent sitting, directs Delhi Police to immediately escort the injured in the violence to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital for treatment. Ambulances had been trying to reach the hospital since afternoon.
04:45 am: Outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's office, police disperses people demanding action against violence in Delhi.
9:02 am: Death toll in northeast Delhi rises to 18.
For all the live updates on the Delhi violence, read here.
10:52 am: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweets: “Army should be called in and curfew imposed in affected areas.” Says he is “writing to Home Minister” for this.
11:42 am: SC says it won't expand scope of Shaheen Bagh case since pleas on violence are being heard by the High Court. Adjourns case to 23 March.
12:24 am: Death toll climbs to 20.
1:10 pm: Delhi HC asks Solicitor General to advise police commissioner on filing FIRs against hate speech by three BJP leaders. HC Justice Muralidhar says, "We have all watched videos of some leaders making hate speeches openly. It's on every news channel."
1:30 pm: Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi demands Home Minister Amit Shah resign, says government “failed to maintain law and order”.
1:51 pm: PM Modi finally breaks his silence. He says he's done an extensive review of the situation and says police and other agencies are working on the ground. His message to people of Delhi? Calls for peace and brotherhood.
2:36 pm: BJP Minister Prakash Javadekar addresses the press and says, "government will identify the culprits of Delhi violence and no one will be left out." But he refuses to answer questions on Kapil Mishra's provocative comments.
2:47 pm: ‘Cannot have another 1984.’ That's what Delhi HC judge Justice Muralidhar says on the violence. The court directs setting up of helplines for immediate help and private ambulances for safety of victims.
2:56 pm: Death toll in northeast Delhi violence climbs to 22.
4:02 pm: NSA Ajit Doval hits the streets of Delhi. He first reaches the office of DCP Northeast Delhi in Seelampur.
Later at around 5 pm, he visits Maujpur – one of the flashpoints of the violence. He says, "Situation is under control. People are satisfied. Police is doing its work."
At the time of writing this piece, Home Minister Amit Shah had not made a statement.
5:23 pm: CBSE postpones exams scheduled for Thursday in northeast Delhi.
5:32 pm: Death toll rises to 23.
5:38 pm: Congress takes out a peace march from Congress HQ to the Gandhi Smriti. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Randeep Surjewala and KC Venugopal were among the leaders.
5:48 pm: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal addresses Delhi Assembly on the violence.
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