A pall of gloom, helplessness, and disbelief hangs over JJ Colony in Uttam Nagar after a Holi Eve dispute over a “balloon” spiraled into a deadly clash between two neighboring families belonging to different communities. The incident claimed the life of 26-year-old Tarun, triggering anger, protests, and the demolition of the accused’s house with a bulldozer.
While several reports claim that Tarun was attacked by members of the accused family after an accidental “slipping” balloon by a minor girl from his family, however, the accused have presented a different version of events.
“Only one side of the story is being heard. Without listening to the other side, bulldozers are being run over our homes,” said Shaheen Rangrez Chouhan, whose family members are among those accused in the murder, while speaking to FoEJ Media.
“There was a wedding in our house, and all the belongings were destroyed in the demolition,” she said.
Shaheen further alleged that the action taken against her family was discriminatory. “If we were not Muslims, bulldozers would not have been used on our homes, and the matter would not have spread this way,” she added.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Sunday demolished alleged illegal portions of a house linked to one of the accused. The action came after the victim’s family demanded “Yogi Adityanath-style” bulldozer action against those involved in the killing.
The MCD officials said the action was taken as part of “removing encroachment” built upon the drains.
“Since the monsoon is approaching, we are removing illegal construction built upon the drains in the area, as they disturb the water flow. The structure was built on the drain,” a senior official from the MCD west zone said.
Meanwhile, Shaheen, while talking to Foej Media, said, “The houses next to ours are also there; aren’t they illegal too, if our house is? Why was only our house targeted? If something happens to people from our family, will bulldozers be used on their houses as well?”
Tussle Turned Violent
According to several reports, a clash erupted between two families in the JJ Colony area of Delhi’s Uttam Nagar on March 4 after a water balloon thrown during play by a minor girl allegedly splashed a Muslim woman. The altercation escalated into violence, leaving 26-year-old Tarun Kumar dead.
However, Shaheen while talking to FoEJ Media, disputed this version of events. She claimed that the balloon was not thrown by a child but by a young man. According to her account, her aunt had been returning home carrying items for the Sheri (pre-dawn) Ramadan meal from where the incident takes the initial roots.
“No child threw the balloon,” she said.
“A young man around 20 years old threw it. My aunt was returning with food items for sehri when the balloon was thrown at her from near their house. When she raised an alarm, members of that household came outside,” Shaheen said.
She further alleged that several intoxicated men joined the confrontation. “Some boys who appeared to be drunk began harassing my aunt. When she cried for help, my brothers came there, and they too were assaulted,” she told FoEJ Media.
According to Shaheen, the confrontation had initially subsided, and both families were willing to resolve the matter. However, the situation escalated again when Tarun allegedly arrived with a group of young men.
“Someone called Tarun, and he came with around 15 to 20 boys,” she said.
“My brother was hit on the head, and others from my family were also attacked.” she added
Shaheen insisted that the entire incident was being portrayed from only one perspective. “People should listen to both sides. You cannot complete an investigation by hearing just one side,” she said.
Shaheen also alleged that her family’s property was attacked after the clash. “Our house was set on fire, and our vehicle was burnt. Who gave them the right to enter our house and damage everything?” she asked.
She while talking to observer post, also claimed that Tarun was accidentally struck by members of his own group during the scuffle. According to her allegation, several people involved in the clash were intoxicated and mistook Tarun for another person during the violence.
FoEJ Media also spoke to neighbors of both families, some of whom said that the tensions between the two households were not new. “There had been disputes between the two families for quite some time. This was not a Hindu-Muslim issue,” a local resident said.
Vehicles Burnt, Traffic Disrupted
As the family mourned Tarun’s death, news of the incident got wind through the locality, triggering communal tension after members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad staged large protests on Friday, March 6, demanding action against the accused.
Police maintained heavy deployment in the area to keep the situation under control. Drones were also used to keep watch on protesters and identify those involved in blocking the road and disrupting traffic.
Amid the tension in the area, a car and a motorcycle parked in Uttam Nagar’s JJ Colony were set ablaze on Friday afternoon. The Delhi Fire Services said it received a call about the fire at 2.02 pm.
“Fire tenders were rushed to the spot, and the flames were doused promptly. Police have been informed about the matter,” a DFS officer said.
16 People Arrested, Two Juveniles Included
The police investigation into the killing has continued to widen. Authorities have taken into custody eight additional suspects in connection with the incident, raising the total number of people arrested to 16, including two juveniles.
Those recently arrested include Sayra, alias Kali (40); Sarifan (50); Salma (36); Suhail, alias Sahil (21); Sameer (20); Firoz (22); and Ismile (50), along with a teenage boy. Earlier arrests included Umardeen, Jummadeen, Kamruddin, Mustaque, Muzzafar, Tahir, and Imran, alias Bunty.
Police officials said the investigation remains ongoing as they continue to examine witness accounts, local testimonies, and evidence related to the clash that turned a festive evening into a fatal confrontation in Uttam Nagar.
