Muslim residents in Delhi's Uttam Nagar plan to leave for Eid over ‘threats’

Residents said that communal tensions and threats over the murder of a 26-year-old man in a fight between families on Holi have left them fearful.

Several Muslim families living in Uttam Nagar’s Hastsal village, who HT spoke to on Tuesday, said they were planning to leave the locality until the situation normalises, ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr festival this weekend. They said that communal tensions and threats made by religious groups over the murder of a 26-year-old man in a fight between two families from different communities on the festival of Holi have left them fearful.

People in large numbers gather during the "Virat Aakrosh Sabha" called by the United Hindu Front over the death of Tarun (25), due to an alleged fight during Holi at Uttam Nagar. (ANI)

The Delhi Police, meanwhile, said they are holding meetings with residents and that nobody they spoke to shared such plans.

Jameel Ahmad, 55, owner of Miya Ji restaurant, said he and his family have lived in Uttam Nagar for more than 50 years. “I have three children and seven grandchildren. We are all scared because we have seenleaders say they will play ‘Khoon Ki Holi’. We have nowhere to go.”

The initial clashes occurred on March 4 when an 11-year-old girl threw a water balloon that hit a Muslim woman, triggering an altercation. Tarun Kumar, 26, succumbed to injuries four days later. Police have arrested 14 people and apprehended two minors in connection with the case. Around two weeks later, tensions between the two communities continue to simmer, as threats continue to pour in on social media too, besides protests and provocative speeches that have become a daily staple here, residents alleged.

Twenty-two-year-old Farzana, another resident, who goes by a single name, said, “I have been living here for more than 20 years, but it’s strange when your neighbours don’t talk nicely to you. We don’t want to leave but Eid is special for us and we can’t stay here. There are threats of violence and attacks every day. We don’t support violence and have nothing to do with the case. We are thinking of leaving for a few days only.”

Another resident, Bilal Rajput, 47, who is an advocate and whose family has been living in the area since the 1970s, said, “My neighbour, who my family has known for over 50 years, told me that two of his tenants left. I also know of a shopkeeper who left. While we are not planning to leave, we can’t also deny that there are no problems.”

He said, “There are protests outside the metro station, parks and other public spaces. There are barricades everywhere. Another neighbour, who’s a Hindu, told me to stay safe because even he is scared. We are all living in fear.”

Delhi Police said they have made adequate arrangements and have also held meetings.

Deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka), Kushal Pal Singh, appealed to residents to remain in the area and assured of adequate safety arrangements for the festival.

“We have sent more than 22 requests to X and Instagram platform to take down provocative speeches and videos. Meta has already taken down a lot of content. We are also contacting the creators who posted these. Almost all of them are from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states. No local is involved. We have held peace meetings and ensured people from both communities that there will be no violence,” he said.