A few leave, most stay locked in

Tarana Khan, who is staying put, says her garment shop in Trilokpuri’s Block 27, was burnt down on Saturday evening by a group of eight Hindu men. “The family was out for a wedding in Uttar Pradesh when our neighbours informed us about the incident. When we rushed back, we made frantic calls to the fire control room but they did not respond,” Tarana said.

Her farther, Israr Khan, said he stood waiting outside Mayur Vihar police station for hours. “The police tell me to wait till tomorrow and refuse to file a complaint. I need compensation for my shop. Innocent people’s shops have been attacked,” said Israr, a retired government employee.

In Block 15, an eerie silence hung over deserted roads and lanes. Ruksar briskly walked past watchful policemen and waited for an autorickshaw at a distance. She looked around before revealing where she was going.

“I am leaving for Meerut, where my sister-in-law lives. It is not safe here. I do not know when I will be back,” said the 30-year-old.

Ruksar finally found an auto and fled for her brother’s house in Anand Vihar as a fist stop. She said her husband left home on Saturday afternoon when the police were searching houses and rounding up men they suspected to be perpetrators.

However, residents in the Muslim-dominated Block 27 claimed only the people who lived as tenants have left. “It’s only those who lived as tenants have left. People who own their houses have locked themselves in,” said Laeeqh, who owns a house here.

Another local, Shahab, said many Muslim families, including his own, left on Friday and Saturday. He said most number of families have left from Blocks 15, 20, and 27, where clashes were reported to be the most intense.

“We have to pay the price for rumours spread by miscreants. This is what happens all the time,” he said ruefully.