National

Four Years Ago, Delhi Witnessed One Of Its Worst Communal Violence In Decades

On 23 February 2020, Northeast Delhi was hit with communally charged violence that lasted up to three days and killed over 53 people, mostly Muslims. While the national media and the government branded the violence merely as 'riots', the fact-finding committee formed by the Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) – an independent statutory body tasked with safeguarding the rights of religious minorities termed the events of February 2020 as a 'pogrom'. Four years since violence first erupted, several victims and families of the 53 killed, feel the compensation provided by the government wasn't enough. Their faith in the legal system has changed, just like their neighbourhoods, wherein streets that once had a mixed population of Hindus and Muslims now bear marks of divide.

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Four Years Ago, Delhi Witnessed One Of Its Worst Communal Violence In Decades
Delhi Riots 2020 Photo: Imtiyaz Khan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

A car work shop in Shiv Vihar area of North East Delhi which was set on fire by rioters.

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Photo: Imtiyaz Khan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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Owners of shops at tyre market inspect the remains of their shops in Gokulpuri area of North East Delhi on March 07, 2020. Tyre market was burnt down by rioters on 25th February during clashes between Hindu and Muslim community over CAA.

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Delhi Riots 2020
Delhi Riots 2020 Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri
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In this Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, a video-journalist films as Indian paramilitary soldiers patrol a street vandalized in Tuesday's violence in New Delhi, India. Reporting in India has never been without its risks, but journalists say attacks on the press during last week's deadly communal riots between Hindus and Muslims in New Delhi show the situation is deteriorating.

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Delhi Riots 2020
Delhi Riots 2020 Photo: Javed Sultan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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A man grieving inside his burnt factory of Sarees in Shiv Vihar which become the haunted colony for muslims, the worst affected locality of Delhi riots, many residents fled to relief camps and elsewhere after rioters burnt and looted their houses during the riots breaks out between February 25-26 in North East Delhi, India on March 07, 2020.

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Delhi Riots 2020
Delhi Riots 2020 Photo: Javed Sultan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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A garment factory owned by Mohammad Arif was set ablaze by the rioters in Shiv Vihar which become the haunted colony for muslims, the worst affected locality of Delhi riots, many residents fled to relief camps and elsewhere after rioters burnt and looted their houses during the riots breaks out between February 25-26 in North East Delhi, India on March 07, 2020.

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Delhi Riots 2020
Delhi Riots 2020 Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari
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Police walk across streets where riots broke out between February 25-26 in North East Delhi, India.

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Delhi Riots 2020
Delhi Riots 2020 Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari
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Houses and shops in Northeast Delhi were burnt amid communal violence that erupted in North East Delhi, India between February 25-26, 2020. 

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Delhi Riots 2020
Delhi Riots 2020 Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari
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Charred remains of a burnt vehicle that was set ablaze by rioters during communal violence that erupted in North East Delhi, India between February 25-26, 2020.

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Delhi Riots 2020
Delhi Riots 2020 Photo: Sanchit Khanna/Hindustan Times via Getty Images
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An elderly man seated outside shops burnt in the riots across North East Delhi, at Shiv Vihar, in New Delhi.

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Delhi Riots 2020
Delhi Riots 2020 Photo; Javed Sultan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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Kithcen of a burnt house in Shiv Vihar which become the haunted colony for muslims, the worst affected locality of Delhi riots, many residents fled to relief camps and elsewhere after rioters burnt and looted their houses during the riots breaks out between February 25-26 in North East Delhi, India on March 07, 2020.

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Delhi Riots 2020
Delhi Riots 2020 Photo: Muzamil Mattoo/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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Indian muslim women sit in a make shift tent where they hae taken shelter in Mustafabad area of New Delhi India on 06 March 2020. People have taken shelter inside the temporary tensta after they were attacked by mob in different areas of North east Delhi during the riots. Meanwhile the official death count reached to 53.