Hundreds of murders occur in Delhi every year, but only a few incidents become a topic of discussion across the country. The question is, why does this happen? A recent recent incident in Uttam Nagar, Delhi, is at the center of such discussions. A dispute erupted after a young girl was hit by a balloon, leading to the murder of 26-year-old Tarun Kumar. Demands for hanging Tarun's killers are being raised in Delhi colonies, accompanied by slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" and "Vande Mataram."
As a result, the population of around 50,000 in Hastsal JJ Colony finds itself in a state of virtual captivity today. Markets are closed, and there is strict vigilance on those entering or leaving the neighbourhoods.
Barricades have been set up at every street corner. Dwarka DCP Kushal Pal Singh stated that over 150 barricades have been installed in the area. Eid is approaching. At a time when markets and neighbourhoods would usually be bustling with activity and shops would be adorned, why is there silence there today?
We have compiled 11 incidents published in various news reports around the time of Holi. In these 11 incidents, 11 people were murdered and a dozen others were injured. Analysis of these incidents reveals that in 4 cases, victims were beaten to death, attacked with stones in a one-sided manner. In 4 incidents, attacks were carried out with knives and stones, while in 2 incidents, victims were shot dead. That means 10 incidents were entirely one-sided. Only one incident – the one in Uttam Nagar – is such where 8 people (5 and 3) from both sides were injured, and Tarun succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
We observe that incidents happening around us – such as those in Aya Nagar, Mehrauli, Baljeet Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Palam, Seelampur, Farsh Bazar, Burari, Fatehpuri, and Mundka – are not being remembered by anyone. It's possible that even people living nearby are unaware of these events. Today, the entire country is discussing the murder that took place in Uttam Nagar.
Why are we not demanding justice for Vijay Upadhyay of Baljeet Nagar, who was murdered by drunkards simply because he objected to their drinking? Why are we not standing with Surender of Aya Nagar, who was shot dead? The same killers had also murdered his brother eight years ago and had attacked another brother with sticks just three days before Holi. Why are we not standing with Brijesh Kumar, Nepal Ram, Pintu Yadav, Sonu, and Naveen, who came to Delhi from other states to support their families and were murdered here? Who will take care of their families now?
Why do we only remember that incident where sticks were wielded by both sides and people from both parties were injured? Who benefits from giving a communal colour to an ordinary incident?
The Uttam Nagar incident is not a communal one. It is the outcome of a long-standing mutual dispute between two neighbours, marked by a struggle for dominance. There was no intention to murder anyone here, but rather a mentality of teaching each other a lesson. Knives or guns were not used in this fight, unlike in the other ten incidents.
Both parties belong to the working class and have been living in 22.5-square-yard plots since 1969. As families grew, the height of the houses increased, and some encroachment occurred. Neither family had the financial means to move out and buy or build another house. With houses facing each other in a 15–20 feet wide lane, disputes kept occurring over who would occupy a larger portion of the lane. Arguments would erupt over parking one day, garbage the next.
In a life marked by deprivation, the struggle for dominance often forces people to fight over trivial issues. In a capitalist system, people live economically insecure lives but remain mentally bound by feudal mindsets. In cramped colonies, this fight for space, respect, and control sometimes takes the form of violent confrontation. Communalisation benefits certain organisations as well as the government, because it diverts attention from core issues. This is why the Chief Minister of Delhi meets Tarun's mother but does not find it appropriate to meet the families of the other 10 deceased. Such incidents often become the focus of political discourse, pushing the city's real problems – like the environment, clean air, clean water, bad roads, unemployment, and social security – into the background.
Approximately 500 people are murdered in Delhi every year. On July 23, 2025, Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha in response to a question that between 2000 and 2024, there were 2,450 murders in Delhi. The details are as follows:
Year — Number of deceased
2000 — 472
2021 — 459
2022 — 509
2023 — 506
2024 — 504
This means on average, more than one murder takes place in Delhi every day. If we look at the figures for Holi, this number is higher than on normal days. According to the Times of India, there were 6 murders on Holi in 2024. These figures indicate that the number of murders on Holi is higher than on ordinary days.
Incidents of murder and assault are increasing across the country. One reason for this is rising unemployment. Economic distress is leading to increased family discord, pushing people into states of anxiety and depression. People are living in a constant state of anger. On the other hand, such news is being sensationalised, and a violent atmosphere is being further fueled through propaganda videos. This is dangerous for any civilised society.
On February 17th in Nand Nagari, Delhi, a Muslim man was shot dead during a quarrel between children. People there viewed it as an ordinary murder incident. When we visited the victim's family, they repeatedly mentioned the Uttam Nagar incident. They said that because the person who died there was Hindu, houses were burnt down and people were arrested. They were saying – we should have done the same. The murderer's house should also have been bulldozed, we should have gone and thrown stones at their house.
This is a clear example of how one incident affects the entire society and every community. When society boils over one incident, while other murders and problems are quietly buried.
That is why we must repeatedly ask this question – Why only Uttam Nagar? Why do some incidents dominate the consciousness of the entire society, while the voices of other victims are suppressed? If society truly wishes to be just, it must demand equal empathy and justice for every victim. A minor incident should not be exaggerated and given a communal colour, pushing society further down a violent path.
If this continues, future generations will have to bear the brunt of it. We must ensure that we bequeath a clean, just, and peaceful society to our coming generations. We must be wary of those organisations and individuals who are busy poisoning society for their own vested interests.
We must keep an eye on the activities of such people and oppose them at every step. We must stand up not only for Tarun, but for every person who is being oppressed and wronged.
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*Social worker and journalist
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