Street vendors among those injured in Delhi blast

They came here to eke out a living by selling products on the streets, but got something they had hardly imagined when they were injured in the blast outside the Delhi High Court where they had gone to seek a stay on police action against street vendors.

Harcharan Singh (53) and 39-year-old Suraj Bal, both hailing from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, were among 64 people who suffered injuries in the blast that claimed 11 lives.

Mr. Singh and Mr. Bal had been to the court on Wednesday morning to seek a stay on police action against street vendors but they found themselves at the Safdarjung Hospital within an hour.

Though doctors have declared that they are “out of danger” and their condition is stable, the duo is not able to hear as their ears were affected by the blast.

Besides them, 50-year-old Naresh, who works in the Union Urban Development Ministry, is admitted to the hospital after being injured in the blast.

Mr. Singh and Mr. Bal had come all the way from Mathura to make a living by selling products on the capital’s streets. But they were removed by Delhi Police after which several street vendors approached the High Court seeking a stay.

Rajpal Singh, the brother-in-law of Harcharan Singh, said, “My uncle came here for making a living. But he and his fellow vendors were chased by the police and now see what has happened to them.”