Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Amid heavy police deployment in west Delhi’s Uttam Nagar, civic authorities Sunday demolished illegal portions of a house linked to one of the accused in the Holi clash that left 26-year-old Tarun dead.. The action came amid heightened tension in the JJ Colony area, where Tarun’s family and neighbours said the demolition alone was not enough while demanding similar action on houses of relatives of the main accused.Locals alleged that the demolished property belonged to three brothers related to the woman who was accidentally splashed with colour during Holi, which allegedly triggered the chain of events leading to the assault on Tarun. People in the lane claimed several members of the extended family live close by.
One of their houses stands next to Tarun’s home while the demolished structure was at the end of the lane.Memraj, Tarun’s father, alleged that the lane was filled with relatives of the accused, which discouraged others from intervening. He also claimed some of them tried to prevent neighbours from stepping out of their homes to help by locking their doors from outside.
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“We have lived in this block for nearly 50 years. Earlier their family had just one house here, but over time it has grown to nearly 10-15,” Memraj told TOI. “On the day of the incident, many of them gathered and intimidated us while my wife, other women and elderly people were pleading with them to stop. People think my son was attacked in the heat of the moment but the fight had been going on for hours. He had nothing to do with the argument. He was called there later to come save us while we were all locked inside and specifically targeted.”Police have since arrested another individual identified as Imran, taking the number of arrests to seven.Another family member said, “All the houses belonging to those involved should be demolished and more arrests made. What will happen when the police leave and the barricades are removed? Everyone who played a role, including the woman involved in the argument, should be arrested. At least 20-25 more people were part of the attack, not just seven or eight”An MCD official said the demolition was limited to the illegal portion of the structure. “The part built over the drain has been removed. Water used to accumulate there, especially during the monsoon. Only the encroached section has been demolished, and similar action may continue in other areas as well,” the official said. The demolition comes a day after CM Rekha Gupta said on social media platform X that “Strict and exemplary action will be taken in this case, so that no one dares to commit such an inhumane act in the future”
