New Delhi: An eerie silence swept through the roads of north-east Delhi's Mustafabad area, which witnessed some tensed moments on Wednesday morning. Violence has gripped the national Capital since Sunday night.
As the Millennium Post reporter entered Mustafabad road, all she could see was burnt debris on every nook and corner of it. What must have been a busy residential and market area was now deserted with just paramilitary forces all around. Mustafabad, which has both Hindu and Muslim population was hit when a large mob entered the area, pelted stones, burnt shops, and houses and started a riot. "I am still shivering after what I saw yesterday," said Alok, who was handing out tea to the CRPF Personnel.
On left the side of the road, shops and buses were still burning and one could smell the debris at each and every corner. Two houses were completely burnt to ashes, the smoke still withering out of it. The ration shop just below it was completely smashed, with the grocery items floating in the nearby gutter. On asking about the mob, Sharma the owner of the shop and said: "This was a mob that had covered its face, they had helmets on. But all we know is that they came with the intention of destroying everything." Meanwhile, just adjacent to the burning houses stood Arun Modern Senior Secondary School, which was completely destroyed. "Some goons came through the roofs of the masjid and set fire to the school," cried Neetu Chaudhary, who is the cashier in the school. She was uncontrollable as she looked at the debris, which used to be an all community school.
Kasim, the Physical Education teacher was also present and looked around the whole building sadly. "Whoever these people were, they have destroyed an education centre. All the previous records of the school have been burnt," he said. The lock of the school was still intact, while the administration of the school claimed that the roof was used to enter the premises. The school has witnessed a loss of about Rs 1.25 crore.
As the people tried to compose each other, a masjid was also seen burning, which was situated after two houses. As the reporter, walked in the same direction, she witnessed that a masjid was totally vandalized and burnt. "RSS goons did it, they entered the masjid, beat up the Imam and burnt the whole mosque," said Mohammed, a local resident. "They have burnt our religious textbooks as well. Why would they do something like that?" asked Mohammed, who kissed the Quran repeatedly.
Adjacent to the mosque was a madrasa, which the locals say was burnt early in the evening. "Thankfully there were no students inside, otherwise we don't know what could have happened," said Alif.
The mob, as residents said was in huge numbers and had come with petrol bombs as well. "Things got out of hand and police was nowhere near," said Ranveer Singh, a resident of Mustafabad.
Almost all residents narrated the ordeal they had to face when the rioters came. As the situation remains tense, people from all the communities try to pick up the remaining parts of their lives.