In Delhi's tryst with darkness, dreams and lives shattered
New Delhi: Firefighters roamed the alleys of Shiv Vihar looking for sign of flames as smoke billowed from some buildings suggesting that not long before it was on fire. A dead dog was seen lying in the gutter with half a head and its hind leg missing, nobody knew what happened to it. Two bodies chopped in four and burnt to the bones were recovered from a sweet shop at the Hindu dominated area, again nobody knew what happened to it. Locals are still scared to speak thinking that if they do say anything they will be targeted next.
Broken dreams
Neighbours recount that the two young boys kept to themselves. Nobody knew their names but they were certain that they were Hindu labourers. They had come from Bihar to find a way to provide for their respective families. They had travelled far from home to look after their families but nobody looked out for them. They did not belong to the area, nobody knows who they were, what their dreams were, what music they liked or what they did on their off days. Not much is known about the young boys but one thing everyone knows – they did not participate in the riot – they were the victims of the riot.
Victims of acid attack
A resident of Brijpuri, Mohammed Vakil, lives with his 15-year-old daughter and 18-year-old-son. When the riot broke out, they huddled together in one room, petrified that they may be found by
riot racketeers. Their worst fears came true when a mob broke down the door and barged in.
"One tall man threw acid at my father then on me. It fell on his eyes and on my face and arms. It burnt like something was piercing through my body, I stopped feeling anything after a while," said the resident.
Out of fear that we would lose our lives we did not dare step out. I saw my father bleed and frantically searched for water. Immediately after the attack, Mohammed Vakil took shelter in a relative's house in the vicinity. The duo feared to go to the hospital in case they fall prey to stone-pelting or gunfire. Later the relatives managed to hide them in the back seat of a car and take them to the hospital.
"I will never be the same or look the same," she added.
The daughter along with her father was taken to GTB hospital for medical aid. They are still undergoing treatment.
Women traumatised by men
A family comprising of a husband, wife, two sons and two teenage daughters live in Shiv Vihar. On Thursday morning, men on neighbouring rooftops flashed their private parts at the two daughters who were scandalised by the act. The mother, Khushboo, hurried the girls inside. She recounted the traumatising incident and said: "A group of men were hurling stones and empty glass bottles. When we shouted at them they started passing lewd remarks. They then pulled down their pants and said: "This is what Hindu women want. I took my daughters and ran inside."
Later as violence escalated they started throwing acid bottles. "We shut all doors and windows and stayed inside," she added.
