A plea before the Delhi High Court warns of rising communal tension in Uttam Nagar after a murder incident during Holi. Petition highlights alarming threats like “khoon ki holi Eid pe khelenge” and seeks urgent police action to prevent violence.
A plea has been urgently moved before the Delhi High Court highlighting rising communal tensions in Delhi’s Uttam Nagar area after the recent killing of a 26-year-old Hindu man during Holi celebrations. The petition, filed by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), warns of possible violence during the upcoming Eid festival and seeks immediate intervention from authorities.
The matter was mentioned before a Bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya along with Justice Tejas Karia, requesting an urgent hearing in light of the serious situation on the ground. The Court agreed to take up the matter on priority and list it for hearing the same day.
Appearing for APCR, Senior Advocate Nitya Ramkrishnan raised strong concerns about the safety of residents in the area. She submitted that there are increasing threats of violence being circulated, especially through social media platforms, and that the police have allegedly failed to take adequate preventive action despite being informed.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, she told the Court,
“There are wide-ranging threats of violence on Eid. On social media, meetings have gathered saying ‘khoon ki holi hum eid pe khelenge’. We went to the police, but the police have not taken any action. We fear serious violence in and around Eid. We want urgent directions to the police. Please look at the kind of threads being issued,”
Ramkrishnan said.
The plea comes in the backdrop of a tragic incident that took place on March 4. According to reports, an 11-year-old girl, who is the cousin of the deceased Tarun Bhutolia, had thrown a water balloon from her house terrace towards a family member. The balloon accidentally hit the ground and splashed a woman who was passing by. The woman reportedly scolded the girl at that time and left.
However, later that same evening, the situation escalated when the woman and her family members allegedly confronted Tarun Bhutolia while he was returning home. He was reportedly attacked and beaten, leading to his death. As the accused belong to a different religious community, the incident soon took a communal turn, increasing tensions in the locality.
Following the incident, on March 8, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) carried out demolition of certain portions of a house allegedly linked to one of the accused persons. The authorities claimed that the demolished parts were illegal constructions built on encroached land.
This demolition action was later challenged before the Delhi High Court. During the proceedings, the MCD defended its action by stating that the structure removed was indeed unauthorized. However, the High Court orally observed that no further demolition should be carried out in the matter, indicating the need for caution and due process.
In light of these developments, the present plea stresses the urgent need for preventive measures, police protection, and strict monitoring to avoid any outbreak of communal violence during the upcoming Eid celebrations. The case now awaits further hearing before the Delhi High Court.
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