A minor dispute between children in Northwest Delhi’s Wazirpur area turned into a tragedy for the only Hindu family living in the Muslim-majority area. The head of the family Radhe Shyam lost his life after being stabbed.
Several others including the son of the deceased sustained injuries in a violent clash that followed a minor dispute over a scooter in JJ colony in the area on Friday (21st March).
As per reports, a fight between two families that started with a children’s quarrel turned into a communal clash involving stone pelting and the stabbing of the 65-year-old deceased.
The deceased has two sons Kamal and Gautam. On the day of the incident, Kamal’s 8-year-old son had a minor scuffle with the children from Jamal’s family.
Soon, the elders from both families got involved in the fight and a heated altercation occurred between the deceased sons and Jamal and his son Irshad. The police were called and the dispute was resolved temporarily.
However, the fight resumed later in the day. According to Kamal Devi, the wife of the deceased, some people from the pelted stones at her house around 1 pm. She said that she locked herself along with her daughter-in-law and grandson in a room for safety.
She alleged that some people from the other side attacked her younger son Gautam with a knife and when her husband and elder son tried to stop them, they stabbed her husband.
“Me, my grandson, and my daughter-in-law locked ourselves inside the house. They attacked my son Gautam with a knife. When my husband, Radhe Shyam, and my younger son Kamal tried to save him, they stabbed them too,” Kamala Devi said.
“He (Radhe Shaym) was only trying to stop the fight but Irshad killed him. Nobody came to help. We called autos but they refused to come. I had to walk for a kilometre or two and finally begged a two-wheeler rider to help us. My husband could have been saved,” she added.
After being stabbed, Radheshyam was admitted to Deep Chand Badhu Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. His body was sent for postmortem at BJRM Hospital. Kamal, Gautam, Jamaal and Irshad also sustained injuries and have been undergoing treatment.
According to police, a case of murder, attempt to murder, stone pelting and assault has been filed at Bharat Nagar Police Station. Two people have reportedly been taken into custody so far.
“A PCR call was received regarding a stabbing incident at Wazirpur JJ Colony on Friday night. A dispute between two groups over a fight among children escalated into violence, resulting in five persons being injured. Radhe Shyam (65), who was stabbed, was ‘declared brought dead’ at Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital,” DCP (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said.
The police have termed it a personal dispute denying any communal angle to it.
Kamla Devi alleges persecution
The Hindu family has alleged that the fight was not a spontaneous event but a pre-planned conspiracy to take revenge for a year-old fight. Kamala Devi alleged that about a year ago, Jamal and his sons misbehaved with her daughter-in-law. This resulted in a fight between the two families which was resolved by police intervention.
Kamala Devi also alleged that her family faces persecution from her Muslim neighbours who have been forcing them to leave the area. She said that being the only Hindu family living in the area, her Muslim neighbours threaten them.
“The entire Muslim neighbourhood threatens me. They question me as to why I live here. They tell me to vacate my house and leave the area.
On the other hand, the Muslim family has denied the allegations of stone pelting and has accused the Hindus of throwing stones at their own house to implicate them. Munni Devi, wife of Jamal alleged that she and her son Irshad were attacked by the sons of the deceased Radhe Shyam.
