Mayur Vihar wears deserted look a day after mayhem

Security tightens, private schools shut, shopkeepers down shutter

A day after a large-scale violence erupted at Mayur Vihar phase 3 in east Delhi resulting in the death of a 26-year-old man in police firing, roads were deserted and wary shopkeepers kept shutters down on Monday.

The security was beefed up and police personnel were increased in the area. Many private schools in the area were closed and two of them, which opened for few hours, registered low attendance.

Kerala Education Senior Secondary School, whose laboratories window glasses were broken by the mob on Sunday, Ryan International School and Gautam Modern School  did not open while government and private schools, including Mother Teresa, Salwan Public School and St Marry School, registered only 20 to 30 per cent attendance.

“Around five people were inside the school premises during evening. We were holding a meeting.

Suddenly, we saw around 15 people shouting slogans, alleging that police had killed one of their people were trying to enter the school. We immediately shut the gates,” said Sanjeevan, a school staff member.

“Then they then started throwing stones and broke the school windows. We were trapped inside the school for three hours," added Sanjeevan.

Sarvesh Kaumar who runs a grocery shop said seeing Sunday’s violence by the mob, he cannot even think of opening his shop for next few days.

“The people of Khoda village have made our life hell. Sunday’s violence was uncalled for. Till the situation return to normal, I will not open the shop,” he said.

The worst affected area was the Badarpur petrol pump at Khoda Village. The mob burnt the petrol pump in front to police officials.

“The fire brigade team was being a mute spectator. I pleaded before it but to no avail. I also requested the police officials and warned them that if the supply tank gets on fire the whole area will be burnt down but no one heard,” said owner of the petrol pump Renu Sachdeva.

Within minutes, M B Mishra, deputy commissioner (east), started moving towards the mob and asked the fire tender vehicles to follow him. Police officials too joined Mishra and wooed away the mob, so that fire team can douse the flames.

During arson and rioting, around 30 vehicles including a low-floor DTC bus, motorcycles, tempo, mini truck, RTVs and three police boots were set on fire, said police.