Scared, 4 families take shelter in friend’s house

‘Clashes only lead to loss of life and property and take the country backward’

Scared for their lives, after the recent clashes that broke out in the national capital, four Hindu families which resided in Chandu Nagar, close to Chand Bagh, left their houses on Thursday morning and arrived at their friend’s house in Khajoori Khas seeking shelter.

Karishma (20), a Class XII student, said that shops in their area were looted, vandalised and set ablaze and gunshots were fired. She said they were afraid that the mob was going to subsequently target the houses in the area. “We did not step out of our houses for the last three days. We did not even go out to buy vegetables,” she said.

The families have shifted to one Balvinder Singh’s house and said they would stay there till at least Friday evening owing to the tense situation. “Our Muslim neighbours said they could help us be safe from locals, but what would they do if outsiders came? Prayers are held every Friday…We have to take precautions,” said Reena, a member of one of the families that have shifted.

Mr. Singh’s daughter, Jassi (16), said: “When Section 144, curfew and shoot-at-sight orders are in place, how is this violence even happening?”

Many Muslim families in the area also vacated their houses and left for “safe” places on Wednesday.

Talking about the violence, Mr. Singh said that the clashes only resulted in loss to common people. “Outsiders come and incite locals. They get involved. The result is loss of life and property. This is just taking the country backward,” he lamented.

An uneasy calm prevailed across north-east Delhi where most of the shops were shut, with people onto the streets anticipating a “peaceful tomorrow”. “I have opened my shop after three day and only for a few hours. Roads are being cleaned of burnt remains. But people are scared and still in shock,” said Lokender Singh, a resident of Jaffrabad, who owns a pharmacy shop.

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