In Shiv Vihar, families return to their houses after almost five days
NEW DELHI: After almost five days of being hurdled in different areas of North-east Delhi, families in Shiv Vihar managed to visit their houses and survey the destruction done by the mob on February 24 and 25. Hindu and majority of Muslim families in the areas had escaped the violence and sought shelter in nearby areas of Mustafabad. The area, however, still remains hostile, which is why the families have been collecting whatever is left of their things and leaving their homes.
Parveena, who is a resident of Shiv Vihar is sobbing outside her small rented house. The room apartment where she was living with her children and husband is completely burnt. “We had left our homes on February 25, as a mob had torched our neighboring lane.
We left immediately,” she told the reporter.
Her house is completely burnt where she told the correspondent that a few cash and gold jewelry she left behind is completely burnt as well. “I just wanted to save my children first, which is why we ran away. But we are homeless and everything we had is burnt to ashes,” she said. Her husband is an auto driver and the family had no other mode of income.
Parveena's neighbour is a Hindu family, whose house is intact but the bus they owned is burnt. “This mob targetted anyone and everyone,” said Sonu who owned the bus. Sonu's family has left their house and are now living in a two-bedroom rented apartment. “Imagine owning one house, but still living on rent,” he said.
Sonu's bus was parked outside his house and was on rent. The whole area is deserted with almost all Muslim areas completely destroyed and empty. Both the mosques –Auliya and Madina –have been completely burnt and destroyed. While most of the shops have been burnt, many were forced open and looted. Fiaz, owner of a shop in Shiv Vihar is standing outside his shop, which was broken and all the materials were taken. “I had a few cash kept inside the shop, but everything is gone. I have nothing left,” he said.
The residents of Shiv Vihar were visiting their houses and shops post the violence that engulfed the national Capital in its wrath. It is to be noted that almost all the houses and shops were marked. Along with Fiaz's shop was another shop with closed shutter. ‘Jai Sri Ram' was written on the shutter.
“If this is not a target then what is? I don't have any issues, we were all friendly neighbours, but why was my shop burnt,” he said. Meanwhile, families in Indira Vihar and Chaman Park have given shelters to families from Shiv Vihar. At least 50 to 60 people are living in one house. The people are trying to pick up the remaining pieces of what is left from the Delhi violence. However, the situation remains tense in the national Capital.