Mother Seeks Justice After Son Killed in Delhi Holi Clash
In a tragic incident in west Delhi, the mother of a 26-year-old man killed during a clash between neighbors has called for strict action against the accused, expressing frustration over a lack of information from authorities. The victim, Tarun, lost his life in the Uttam Nagar area after a dispute during Holi celebrations on March 4 escalated into violence, according to police reports.
Family Alleges Lack of Communication from Police
Speaking to reporters, Tarun's mother stated that the family has not received any updates on their appeal for justice. "Nothing has been heard yet on our appeal. When they are shot, I will be at peace. I want the same thing to happen to them as the Yogi government does to criminals... My son has left this world. May no one else's son leave. They say 16 people have been arrested, but they haven't even shown us who they are," she said, highlighting her distress and demand for accountability.
Dispute Began Over Water Balloon Incident
According to the mother, the conflict started when a water balloon thrown by a child led to threats and violence. "Because of just a drop of water, my son has been killed... The beginning of everything was that my 7-year-old niece was standing on the second floor, and I was standing just below my house. She was playing. A 7-year-old girl doesn't know what colour is. From her hand, the balloon fell down. A few drops of water fell on that lady named Saira. Upon this, Saira started threatening her, saying that I will get you raped by my family members," she alleged, describing how the situation quickly spiraled out of control.
Escalation and Assault Allegations
The mother claimed that Saira called 20-25 people to the spot, leading to a violent altercation. "In such a short time, she called 20-25 people. Some of them are women, and some of them are men... Tarun didn't know anything. It happened at night. She called her men," she said. She also alleged that she was assaulted during the incident, with a woman named Salima hitting her with a rod on the face, and men tearing her blouse. "They hit my brother-in-law, husband, son, and my brother-in-law's son. They said they will finish Khatiks today," she added, pointing to community-based tensions.
Disappointment Over Lack of Support
Expressing disappointment, the mother noted that no Dalit leader had visited the family after the incident. "Still, no Dalit leader has come to me... I want justice for my son. If the Yogi government does it, why can't Rekha Gupta do it?... She hasn't even come to meet us yet. Our daughter went to meet her," she said, calling for more attention and action from local representatives.
Father Demands Severe Punishment
Tarun's father also demanded strict punishment for those responsible and thanked people protesting for justice. "I would like to say to the people of the country that the way everyone is protesting for Tarun, we are thankful to everyone. We are doing all this to get justice for Tarun. All the criminals should be punished severely," he said. He mentioned that the family had no prior disputes with the accused but claimed tensions had built up over their treatment of stray dogs. "We didn't have a fight with them... but sometimes, they threw water and acid at the street dogs. Sometimes they used to hit them with sticks and stones. Our kids used to scold them for hitting dogs. Slowly, we started feeling that they had made Tarun their target because of this," he explained.
Allegations of Vandalism and Delayed Police Response
The father further alleged that the attackers vandalized their house before police arrived. "They came with sticks and stones. They started beating us. Then we went inside the house. They were kicking the gate. They broke the windows of our house. The police came after an hour of the fight. The administration is doing its job. We ask the administration to hang the accused or get them murdered in an encounter. We ask the administration to break their whole house," he said, emphasizing the family's call for harsh measures.
Police Confirmation of Incident
Police officials confirmed that the incident occurred after a dispute over a balloon during Holi celebrations escalated into a violent altercation. Tarun was allegedly assaulted during the clash and later died from his injuries, underscoring the severity of the event and the ongoing investigation into the matter.
