New Delhi: More than a month after north-east Delhi was rattled by violence, the residents are now struggling with Coronavirus. Shiv Vihar, which saw one of the most violent scenes during the riots, witnessed some families coming back due to the fear of COVID-19 pandemic.
Naresh Chand's house along with a shop attached to the house was gutted in fire, when cylinders were thrown inside his house. Speaking to the Millennium Post Chand said, "The house was vandalised after which it was burnt to ashes. We had done some repairing and have come back to stay in our half burnt house."
Chand is 65-year-old and came back with his wife. His other family members are meanwhile living in a rented apartment. "Only we came back here. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, we have nowhere to go as well. Our shop was burnt and we have no work," he said.
Just on the opposite alley, Bano is waiting for her husband who is half paralysed and is getting checked by a doctor. Bano's house was also gutted in the fire but they haven't been able to repair it, which is why the whole family is living in a rented room near their relative's house. "I still remember how a mob stood near house and was burning and throwing cylinders inside houses. My husband is unwell and we live with our two sons and their wives and children. The moment mob entered our street, we somehow managed to run, as the RAF came to rescue us," she said.
The family had been living in Mustafabad Eidgah but had left it within days as they managed to find a room. Now with the pandemic, Bano is miserable as all the relief and compensation work has stopped. "We have got Rs. 25,000 after we filled the compensation form," she said.
Bano visits her house everyday as she doesn't feel like staying anywhere else. "It was my home after all and I miss it. Although there is nothing left, it is still home for me," she said.
The families were asked to leave and come back to their houses due to the pandemic outbreak. This has left many vulnerable. Ram Giri who lives opposite to the nala said his family doesn't get ration. "Cooked food comes but we are told it's not for us," he told the correspondent.
The family of eight members was told to leave due to the number of people. "We had to come here because we are a lot of members," said Ram Giri's daughter.
As the number of Coronavirus cases keeps on increasing, the families who had not even recovered from the riots have become more vulnerable.