Glimpses of hope amid insanity of Delhi riots

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 28

As Delhi recovers from the shock of riots that battered the city’s northeast starting Sunday, tales of communal amity have begun to surface like a silver lining in dark clouds.

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Away from the palpable sense of fear that still grips parts of the affected areas, stories of human bonding weave hope of a peaceful future.

Saleem Kassar, 50, of Shiv Vihar — one of the worst-hit areas — lost his brother in the bloody riots triggered by clashes between anti and pro-Citizenship Amendment Act demonstrators.

“My family and I would not have been alive had it not been for our Hindu neighbours. They sheltered us for hours and then escorted us to paramilitary forces. You are talking to me today because I had a neighbour who cared,” says Kassar, adding his neighbours risked their lives to save them.

“I am indebted to them forever. They fed me, my wife and our five children, kept us safe in a dark room and, when the tensions subsided, moved us to safety. After rioters had attacked our house on Monday, killing my brother, I along with family escaped to the neighbour’s house,” recalls Kassar.

Uttarakhand’s Vijay Negi, whose nephew Dalbir Singh’s charred body was found from a gutted sweets shop in Shiv Vihar, had a similar tale of hope.

Negi, who rushed to Delhi yesterday after learning about the killing of his nephew, said locals linked to a mosque were extending help to transport the body of his relative.

“I do not know anyone here. I am overwhelmed to find help from Gulzar Ahmad, who is associated with Chand Mosque in old Seemapuri area. They are arranging a vehicle for the onward journey of Dalbir’s mortal remains” says Negi as he waits to sign the documents to receive Dalbir’s body from the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital mortuary here. Ahmad, busy helping out bereaved families at the mortuary, said: “Rioters have no religion.” 

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