NEW DELHI: “Darr kyu nahi lagega… mahaul kharab aur darawna thaa (of course we were scared, the situation was volatile and scary). But the locals (Muslims) ensured that no one could hurt us,” said Vimlesh, a resident of Mustafabad who is in her 50s.
“When the violence escalated, our Muslim neighbours gathered in front of homes where Hindus live. The mob wanted to come inside and kill us. Our neighbours faced the mob’s wrath, cooled them down and sent them back,” said Bharti, Vimlesh’s neighbour.
Areas such as Brijpuri, Mustafabad and Shiv Vihar have witnessed spiralling communal violence since Tuesday. While Brijpuri and Shiv Vihar are Hindu-dominated areas, Mustafabad has a Muslim majority, with a handful of Hindu residents living there.
“Despite the mob’s hatred and anger, our Muslim neighbours stood firm and refused to budge. They guarded us throughout the night. We felt safe and are lucky to have such neighbours,” said Dasharath, who has been living in Mustafabad since the 1960s.
The residents said there was an uneasy calm on Monday but things took a violent turn from Tuesday evening. “I was born here and my family lives here… despite living in a Muslim area, not for a day have we felt unsafe. I knew we could trust our Muslim neighbours,” Harikant Sharma said.
Locals also protected temples in the locality from all harm. “The moment riots broke out, we knew the mob would come looking for Hindu houses. The first thing that came to our mind was ensuring their safety. I am ready to take a bullet from my community but no harm should come on any Hindu family,” Adim, a resident of Mustafabad for decades, said.
“Religious battles only benefit politicians. The poor are the worst affected. What is the point of killing each other?” said Nisar Ahmed. A madrassa teacher Shamshuddin is the only Muslim living in gali number 3 of Khajuri Khas. When the riots broke out, he was naturally scared. Shamshuddin’s neighbour Ashwani ensured that no one could touch his house. In the next colony, 25 Muslim houses were burnt on Tuesday.