Trilokpuri: The Riot Laboratory

Trilokpuri, a sprawling resettlement colony in East Delhi, is a neighbourhood where crime and violence is a familiar story. This time, what could have been a minor flashpoint on the night of October 23rd, escalated into a full-fledged riot, forcing strict prohibitory orders. We look at the anatomy of this violence. Was it politically motivated? Why was it not brought into control sooner? We look at the role of the politicians and the police - two entities that become central in keeping or unkeeping peace in fragile disturbed areas like this neighborhood, which 30 years ago witnessed one of the worst communal massacres post partition. That history of ruptures continues, driven by politics and commerce, fueled by political ambition, fanned by commercial interests.