Saharanpur: On Eid, residents of riot-torn Saharanpur came out of their homes wearing arm bands and carrying black cloth banners in a message of peace.
The Uttar Pradesh town, 170 km from the national capital, is celebrating Eid under the shadow of curfew, lifted partially on Tuesday to facilitate prayers and celebrations. But curfew will not be lifted today along a national highway that runs through the middle of Saharanpur with the old city on one side and the new city on the other.
The highway has became the symbol of a sharp divide, which, residents say, it never was before.
The clashes began early on Saturday in the new city, which has a sizable Sikh population. Some members of the community had begun construction to extend a Gurudwara, which was opposed by local Muslims who claim that the land belongs to a mosque. Three people were killed in the riots and 20 were injured; 66 people have been arrested.
A stone hit Gurwinder Singh, 42, in the eye during Saturday's clashes. He has lived in his neighbourhood in the new city all his life and says he has never seen communal tension before.
His wife Satinder Kaur, he says, lived in the Muslim neigbourhood across the highway until they were married 18 years ago. Their hardware store is in the old city and their family doctor too lives there.
In the old city, Nadim Askari says he tentatively stepped out on Monday to buy essentials when curfew was relaxed. He lives in a joint family of 40 people, but only his brother and he went out.
Usually, Mr Askari says emphasising how safe the area has been, even young girls in the family walk through the Sikh neighbourhood to reach the railway station and also to visit a dispensary run by the Gurudwara. Since the riots, however, no one has gone across.
Nadim worries about how he will reach the railway station to catch a train to Delhi this weekend.
Like the Singhs, the Askaris hope the situation will be better soon; they want to start crossing highway once again.
The Uttar Pradesh town, 170 km from the national capital, is celebrating Eid under the shadow of curfew, lifted partially on Tuesday to facilitate prayers and celebrations. But curfew will not be lifted today along a national highway that runs through the middle of Saharanpur with the old city on one side and the new city on the other.
The highway has became the symbol of a sharp divide, which, residents say, it never was before.
A stone hit Gurwinder Singh, 42, in the eye during Saturday's clashes. He has lived in his neighbourhood in the new city all his life and says he has never seen communal tension before.
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In the old city, Nadim Askari says he tentatively stepped out on Monday to buy essentials when curfew was relaxed. He lives in a joint family of 40 people, but only his brother and he went out.
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Nadim worries about how he will reach the railway station to catch a train to Delhi this weekend.
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