After Jahangirpuri riots, cops intensify watch on Trilokpuri

New Delhi: After the unrest in Jahangirpuri, Delhi Police has intensified its watch and patrolling in many areas it considers sensitive to cut down on any untoward or violent grouping of people to prevent the possibility of incidents between the two communities. Trilokpuri, which has had a history of having communal scuffles in the past, is one such place where police has tightened its grip. Before last Saturday, shops in East Delhi’s Trilokpuri would close at 10.30 pm, but after the flare-up between the two communities hit northwest Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, waves of disturbance were expected to reach many places which were construed as communally charged. The place has highly interwoven communities of Hindus and Muslims living together.
Trilokpuri saw a major riot in 2014 which was reported to be fed by rumour-mongering, and in 2016, a gambling brawl had set off into a communal clash. Since then, there have been minor fights but both the communities have learnt to avert turning low-scale fights into a clash. Today, rumours of Hindu-Muslim discord have generated caution among both the communities, and Trilokpuri residents have poised themselves as an example. The locals living in the place have denied any discord between the communities. Chandrabanu Upadhyay, a resident of Trilokpuri, said, “We have moved on in our life, everyone knows there is nothing left in a fight; even if potential argument happens among young ones, elders try to assuage that, and that is how the people of this place have evolved into tolerant and rational beings.”
However, the police is keeping a watch. In the evening, police stand in ones and twos, and at some places in more numbers, just at the crossroad of block 27 of the Trilokpuri, and from 6 pm onwards, they are seen patrolling the lanes to keep an eye on any strange activity that may come to pass.
Rizwan, another local resident, said, “These are all rumours; Hindus and Muslims are living in harmony here. There will be no clash because everyone wants peace. Through successive riots, people have learnt one thing, and that is, if you have to progress, you must keep peace.”
Most of the men in the area believe that whenever there have been ruckus or when arguments have transpired into riots, it has been because of some idle drunkards, “They drink and then discuss about controversial matters which worsens into a bitter dialogue, then both the parties form groups and involve their communities to fight it out. The reasons have always been petty,” a senior citizen in the area said, adding that since four years, this place is in peace. Rajinder, while basking in the mid-day sun, said, “Now elders have become more responsible, when the young ones fight, we try to water things down, we ensure that the fight ends there. I meet so many Muslims a day, we have blended in each other’s likes and dislikes; we are friends with each other, so how would there be a riot?”
Pawan, who has a tailoring shop in the locality, said, “Common men are busy in their work and don’t like disturbance due to some ignorant youth. why would I get into unnecessary argument, nobody would, even if someone swears at me, I will keep my head down and go back home. I don’t want to retaliate and get into a fight. Most of men here are like this, so why would there be any riot?”
A resident living at Trilokpuri crossroad, Jaida, pointing at the road to talk about the other side of the road where Hindus live, said, “This used to be the border; whenever there would be any stone pelting, the two sides would throw barbs at each other, but now times have changed, the brotherhood in the area is at its peak.”