Two families clash in Delhi’s Nizamuddin, level molestation charges against each other

Nine people, including four women, were injured. A video clip of the incident went viral on the social media.

Nine people, including four women, were injured in a clash between two families in south Delhi’s Nizamuddin market area on Monday afternoon, police said.

Both the families allegedly levelled molestation charges against each other. (AFP File)

Both families accused each other’s men of molesting their women members during the clash. Allegations from both sides mentioned misbehaviour against women to be the trigger for the clash, police said.

However, Chinmoy Biswal, deputy commissioner of police (south-east), said that the two families were involved in a quarrel last year too and Monday’s clash was a fallout of the “earlier enmity” they had.

“The last time the two families had quarrelled was in September last year. One family blamed the other of not paying up after using a graveyard land owned by the other family. We had taken preventive action at that time to ensure peace between them,” said Biswal.

Now, the police have responded by registering molestation and assault cases against members of both families based on statements of the rival parties. Simultaneously, a video clip that showed one family landing blows on the other family also emerged in the media and soon went viral on social media platforms.

The video clip showed a 27-year-old teacher, her husband and other relatives being thrashed by members of the other family that lives in the same neighbourhood of Nizamuddin Basti. The video showed bystanders watching the two groups clash.

In her statement to the police, the 27-year-old woman alleged that she was shopping in the local market when she noticed a man staring at her. When her husband objected to it, the man and his relatives allegedly beat up the couple and tore the woman’s clothes. When her relatives rushed to her defence, she alleged that they too were thrashed.

The other family, that owns the graveyard land, had a similar story to narrate. They accused the teacher’s husband of misbehaving with a woman from their family, leading to the fight. “We were attacked with a knife and the teacher’s family molested our women,” alleged the a member of the second family.

The DCP said that when the local police arrived, they found that the two families were already taken to AIIMS trauma centre for treatment. “The teacher’s family had four injured members. The other family reported five members to be injured,” said the DCP.