Trilokpuri riots: Messages threaten to disrupt fragile peace

As residents of east Delhi’s Trilokpuri gather the pieces to get on with life leaving behind the gruesome memories, videos and messages circulating among both communities are making them edgy and threatening to break the fragile peace.

As residents of east Delhi’s Trilokpuri gather the pieces to get on with life leaving behind the gruesome memories, videos and messages circulating among both communities are making them edgy and threatening to break the fragile peace.

Police-has-deployed-camera-equipped-drones-to-take-photos-and-videos-of-emergency-situations-at-Trilokpuri-as-it-continued-to-remain-tense-for-the-sixth-straight-day-despite-prohibitory-orders-being-lifted-for-a-few-hours-on-Tuesday-to-allow-people-to-make-necessary-purchases-Mohd-Zakir-HT-Photo

“We have been receiving messages blaming the Muslim community for inciting the violence and disrespecting our religion. The messages say we should unite in the name of our religion and avenge this act,” said Kishori Lal, a resident of Block-27, a Muslim-dominated area.

Similar messages blaming the Hindus for the violence are circulating among Muslims as well.

Lal said neighbours who were available for each other till the riots happened now hesitate to even smile at each other, indicating the apparent tension in the neighbourhood.

Some Hindus living in Muslim-dominated areas and vice-versa have chosen to leave their homes till the situation becomes normal.

“Suddenly people no longer trust each other. Despite tight security and frequent patrolling by the police, there is fear all around,” said Lal.

Though the police are trying to check the spread of unnecessary rumours, these messages have the potential to spark fresh violence, residents feel.

“Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs have been living together for over 50 years now but things have never turned this ugly here before. It is important to stop the spread of this unnecessary hatred among communities,” said Sulaiman Sheikh, a resident of Block-28.

Though the source of these messages was still not known, residents suspect that people with political interests are trying to take advantage.

The police, however, claimed the situation was under control.