Amid the raging violence in northeast Delhi, two barbers proved quite helpful for doctors at Al-Hind Hospital that was flooded with riot victims.

The two barbers kind of turned into para-medics and extended their helping hands to the doctors. Recalling their experience, one of them said they started shaving off victims hit on heads to help doctors put stitches and bandages. "And being barbers, they were quite adept at that," said one of them. As the trickle of wounded turned into a flood, they also had to help doctors and the other hospital staff put stitches and bandages. The Al-Hind hospital had only three doctors and nurses and a few staff members to run the pharmacy.

Dr Meraj Akram, a dentist and one of the brothers who run the hospital, said we trained them in basics of dressing wounds, giving first-aid and administering CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). "We treated as many as 500 clash victims. We have also distributed over Rs 2 lakh worth of medicines till date," said one of the doctors at the hospital. Meanwhile, the life is limping to normalcy in Old Mustafabad after a week of violence.