MUDITA Girotra By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The houses of Muslim tenants were locked even before the Mahasangh declared a ban on them at Basai Darapur village. “They have all run away. Nobody is here. They haven’t been here for few days. Some fled last night perhaps,” said Alok Tyagi, a 21-year-old local, pointing at the locked houses.

A Muslim passerby, who mistakenly took the road where furious members of a group were protesting against the minority community, had a tough time as the protestors pounced on him.

The policemen had to intervene to help the victim. “Sir, please mujhe bacha lijiye. Ye mujhe maar daalenge (Please save me, sir. They will kill me),” he nervously said to a constable, while fleeing away from the mob. “Just run away!” the men in khaki responded.

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The policemen sent the passerby away with the help of a stranger, who came ahead on his bike to drop him somewhere away from the crowd.

A little away, another Muslim man crossed the road. He didn’t pay attention and just moved to his house. “I have nothing to say. I have to break my fast so I am going home.”

On the path connecting the road with the Basai Darapur village, where the murder of Dhruv Tyagi happened, a youngster was attacked by unidentified men. The police quickly intervened before letting the attackers go away.

Members of Tyagi community protest at Basai Darapur village in Moti Nagar, New Delhi. (Photo | Naveen Kumar, EPS)

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“Thankfully, the police were deployed in that lane. Will the police stay here forever? They were here because there was a possibility of violence after the community meeting. What will happen to us later?” said a Muslim local, who owns a house in the urban village.

“We are living in a lot of fear. The people are nice, but these goons from outside have made it very difficult for us to live here. My family has gone to a relative’s place. I had to stay here to protect the house.” “Ye ibadat ka mahina hai, aur dekhiye kya sab ho raha hai (This is the month of Ramzan and see what all is happening).”

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‘Politicians exploiting case for their own purpose’

NEW DELHI: The Muslim neighbour, whose son rushed Dhruv Tyagi to the hospital, rues the incident which took away his “very good friend” and gave politicians a chance to “exploit” the case.

“My son did his job. That’s what he was supposed to do as a family friend, as a human being,” the 61-year-old, who requested anonymity, said in a matter of fact way. “Our families have celebrated every festival together. We would visit them on Diwali. They would come to greet us on Eid. Dhruv mere jigri dost the. Unhe yaad karta hun (Dhruv was my very good friend. I keep remembering him).”

He added that even though there were very few Muslim families in the village, there was “never any animosity”. “There are hardly any Muslims here. They can’t be a threat,” he said, adding the Tyagi community were “nice” to outsiders.

“They have given space to Muslim tenants in their houses very willingly. But this recent incident is creating a divide between the communities, as the politicians have jumped into it for their own benefit,” he said.