Tensions were heavy in east Delhi’s Trilokpuri on Sunday, a day after members of two communities from adjacent blocks clashed following a minor argument over a cricket ball.
No untoward incident has been reported since, but heavy police deployment continues in the area where violent communal riots took place two years ago.
The incident occurred around 9 p.m. on Saturday. The police said that the clash led to stone-pelting between residents of Block 29 and Block 31.
No one injured
No one was injured, but damage was caused to some shops and homes in both the localities, said the police.
Police officers as well as residents of both the blocks said that the stone-pelting occurred in response to the assault of a call centre employee, allegedly by residents of Block 31.
The youth, J. Kumar (22) had gone to mediate after a minor known to him was driven away by residents of Block 31 in what turned out to be an unsuccessful bid in getting his cricket ball back, said his family.
“The children in the area were playing cricket in an MCD school, on either side of which are these two localities. When the ball landed in Block 31, he went to bring it back but not only did the youths present there refused to return it, they insulted him. When the boy was returning home, he met Kumar and narrated what had happened,” said Kumar’s cousin.
Kumar went to the area with the boy and had an argument with the youths before both sides were pacified and the situation was prevented from getting out of hand.
Things changed dramatically a couple of hours later when Kumar was allegedly beaten up by the same group of youths.
Shopkeepers Babu Khan and Jagjivan said that after Kumar’s assault, the situation took a communal turn.
A couple of hours later members from the two localities gathered at the intersection and started pelting stones at each other.
The heat was felt in neighbouring blocks too.
Navdeep, who runs a stationary shop in Block 31, said that he was informed by his brother about the trouble and immediately shut his shop.
“It was around 9 at night. I alerted the other shopkeepers too,” said Navdeep.
Ten minutes after the pelting started, police arrived at the spot and the situation was brought under control.
Two companies of policemen were deployed in the area for the night to maintain peace.
Considering that this is the festival season (the riots in 2014 also erupted during Navratri), extra deployment was put in place for the subsequent day as well, said the police.
Police and residents both said the incident occurred in response to the assault of a call centre employee
