The incident at Harijan Basti in Sarai Kale Khan, Delhi is a bleak reminder of the persecution that Hindus face at the hand of Jihadis. On the night of March 20 (Saturday), a Muslim mob, infuriated by an interfaith marriage between a Hindu man and a Muslim woman, brutally attacked the Hindu residents of Harijan Basti at Sarai Kale Khan, Delhi.
The Dalit community was threatened with ‘Khoon ki Holi’ and called ‘Bh*ngi’, an extremely offensive casteist slur used to insult them during the violent episode.
OpIndia, which has been reporting on the matter from the ground, got in touch with the Hindu victims of the locality who recounted what ensued on Saturday night. The Hindus recounted how they were outnumbered by the rioters who entered every Hindu household on Saturday night to attack them.
One of the Hindus who resides in the locality named Ravi said that the mob of 50-60 Muslims surrounded the lane from all sides. He recounts that they had come back home at around 11 pm from the police station after both sides signed a consent affidavit in the police station. “We were about to sleep when loud clamours were heard from outside. Before we could realise, the mob entered our houses and attack us”, Ravi told OpIndia.
“The mob charged at us with knives and swords, attacked us, hurled bricks and stone at us, injuring many of our loved ones”, said Ravi, adding that out of the three lanes, the Muslim mob targeted two lanes. He said that the area is predominantly a Muslim dominated area with only 30-40 Hindu Valmiki family dwelling there.
“Our ladies and kids were assaulted and houses were broken”, rued Ravi, adding that his brother was attacked with a knife and an elderly lady of the locality was assaulted with a sword.
Speaking about the rising Muslim intolerance towards the Hindus in the area, Ravi said that not only he but even his forefathers have lived in the area but never have they experienced anything of this sort before.
He furthered that when the Muslim girls relative called Sabina came and started shouting and hurling abuses, we informed her that the girls family isn’t there and she should return to speak to them later, but she kept abusing and using filthy language, threatening us with dire consequences. “Kaat ke bhun ke kha jayungi” (will chop, roast and eat you’ll) said Sabina threatening the Hindus with ‘Khoon ki Holi’ and further assault.
Then when we reached the police station in the evening, the Muslim accumulated there also threatened us with ‘Khoon ki Holi’.
Ravi adds that the arrested youths, namely Ali, Faizan, Hassan, Afraan and Mauseen were the only known faces amidst the rioters. Others might have come from outside. Here another eyewitness says that around 10 rioters were from our locality and at least 50 were outsiders, maybe from localities like Nizamuddin, Okhla in the south-east district of Delhi, etc, whom we do not recognise.
The Hindus recount how the rioters unleashed mayhem for at least half an hour on Saturday night, attacking Hindu men, women and kids with swords, sticks and knives and bricks. He said that to further intimidate us, the rioters picked up stones from the construction site near the Masjid in the area and hurled them at us.
The victims said that they have not left their homes to work fearing for the safety and security of their children. They say that there is a pervasive fear among the Hindus of the area following the incident.
They tried to break open the petrol tanks of the cars to burn our houses: Hindu residents of Sarai Kale Khan speak to OpIndia
The Hindus natives say that by the time the police force reached the spot the rioters had fled. “We made the first call to the police station at 11.15 pm. Thereafter we made at least 25 calls. Initially, only one PCR van came to monitor the situation. They then informed the PS, but when the DC and SI reached the spot the rioters had fled.
The Hindus claimed that the rioters broke around 30 motorbikes parked in the locality and attempts were also made to set the Hindu houses on fire. “They were trying to break open the petrol tanks of the cars parked in the locality to take out petrol to burn our houses when our ladies noticed and alerted us. Fearing repercussions, the Muslims fled. “Had it not been for those women, our houses would have been reduced to ashes for sure”, lamented a Hindu victim, adding that the mob had come fully prepared with swords, sticks and knives, bricks and acid.
Casteist slurs such as ‘Bh*ngi’ were used to insult the Dalit community
Earlier we reported how a few Hindus in the locality accused the rioters of hurling deeply offensive casteist slurs against them during the episode. They said that casteist slurs such as ‘Bh*ngi’ were used to insult the Dalit community.
‘We would have died if we returned home’: Mother of the Hindu boy
The mother of the Hindu boy whose marriage with a Muslim girl had incensed the mob enough to attack the Hindus of the locality in numbers, also told OpIndia that she told the mob that they could take the girl if she wanted to go with them. But the girl refused and said that her husband’s parents were her parents. “Fortunately, we did not come here from after submitting her consent affidavit. We would have died. They thought that we would come home,” she said.
The residents are now demanding justice for the insults that were poured on them.