NEW DELHI: Two days after 26-year-old Tarun was beaten to death in southwest Delhi’s Uttam Nagar following a dispute during Holi celebrations, tension continues in the area after a car and a motorcycle were set on fire on Friday. The vehicles allegedly belonged to a relative of one of the accused.
The incident has heightened concerns in the communally sensitive neighbourhood, where heavy security has now been deployed. Barricades have been installed at both ends of the lane where the attack took place, and personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been stationed in the area to prevent any further escalation.
According to police, unidentified individuals set the car and motorcycle ablaze on Friday afternoon. Fire tenders from the Delhi Fire Service were rushed to the spot and managed to douse the flames. Officials said they are verifying the ownership of the vehicles and identifying those responsible for the arson.
The violence originally broke out on March 4, after which four people were arrested. On Friday, police detained four more suspects, taking the total number of arrests in the case to eight.
Meanwhile, Tarun’s family members, along with neighbours and friends, gathered outside the Uttam Nagar police station on Friday to protest and demand the arrest of everyone involved in the killing. Protesters raised slogans and urged authorities to take stricter action against the accused.
In the narrow lane where the attack occurred, faint bloodstains remain visible on a pillar near the end of the street. Residents said Tarun had tried to steady himself there during the assault.
Some residents have demanded that the families of the accused and their relatives should not be allowed to remain in the locality, claiming their continued presence has created fear among others living nearby.
Ronit (19), who lives in the same lane where Tarun was assaulted, said he had known the families of the accused for many years.
“We grew up together. Their house is right next to ours and we’ve known them since childhood,” he said. “Even when the women in our family were pleading with them to stop, they didn’t listen. They just kept attacking.”
Elderly residents described how quickly the situation escalated.
Saroj (60), a local resident, said the argument initially involved only a few people but rapidly drew a crowd.
“At first there were only five or six people arguing in the lane, but soon around 30 to 40 people gathered. Instead of calming things down, more people arrived carrying sticks and rods,” she said.
She added that residents remain fearful despite the arrests.
“Some people have been arrested, but many are still outside. Their relatives live nearby. We are scared that once the police leave, we will have to face them again,” Saroj said.
