Residents in the northeast Delhi's Bhajanpura-Yamuna Vihar area, remained confined into their houses as the angry mob on Monday night and Tuesday morning went on rampage in market places and in the process destroying whatever came into their way. The mob even set shops on fire and a large group of armed people surrounded homes of some people, attacking their main gates with sticks and stones and tried to break inside.
A petrol pump was also set on fire in Bhajanpura on Monday. Locals said mobs spilled on main roads, lanes and bylanes in residential areas, while the security personnel were deployed only on the main road, which leads to Bhajanpura, Rohini one side and Loni, Ghaziabad via Gokalpuri flyover on the other. Ghaziabad Police has sealed the link roads from Apsara and Bhopura border to prevent incoming and outgoing traffic.
"The force is inadequate. Also, they are there but not doing anything...I fail to understand why," said a Yamuna Vihar resident requesting anonymity.
"A family's house in my neighbourhood was targeted by a mob of around 200 in the night. They kept calling us and others for help. They called up police also. But nobody could help them. This morning they showed me a footage of the attack caught in their CCTV camera and it is terrifying. Everyone here is scared," a prominent resident of Yamuna Vihar said requesting anonymity as he feared giving out his name could lead his family into trouble. "I was returning from Ganga Ram Hospital where my grandson is admitted. It was really difficult reaching back home. I had to plead with folded hands with both the groups who were present on the roads after every few steps. Only I know how I managed to return home," said a elderly man, a resident of C Block in Yamuna Vihar. Mobs went on a rampage at market places, set shops on fire even as large groups gheraoed homes of some people, attacking their main gates with sticks and stones.
Meranwhile in Chanbagh, rioters set afire to shops and pelted stones on Tuesday. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd in the area but to no avail. Paramilitary forces have also been deployed to bring the situation under control. Rioters also set a bakery and several fruits carts on fire.
At least 13 people, including a police head constable, have died since Monday as mobs went on a rampage in Maujpur, Jaffrabad, Babarpur, Bhajanpura, Yamuna Vihar, Chandbagh areas in northeast Delhi.
