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Most of us remember the February 2020 Delhi riots as a tragic series of incidents. But those directly affected by the violence found their lives altered irreparably, dealing with loss of life, loss of limb, loss of dear ones, loss of livelihood.
While no amount of compensation money can turn back the clock, The Quint found that some of those affected by the riots, have either received inadequate compensation, and in some case, none at all.
The Quint met riot survivors suffering serious medical conditions, along with their family members, from across communities. The aim was to understand how the riots changed their lives, and how the struggle for a fair and timely compensation has only further stripped them of dignity.
While recollecting the fateful night when violence broke in North-East Delhi on February 2020, 52-year-old Mohammad Wakil says “it doesn’t matter how much I get from the government. Nothing is left in life without eyesight.”
A rioter threw acid on his when Wakil was peeping out from his residence’s gate to access the magnitude of the violence. Considering the risk, Wakil and his family were forced to leave home. They managed to take shelter in a nearby masjid.
When they felt that masjid is unsafe, Wakil, who was in excruciating pain, moved out post mid night to reach a nearby hospital for treatment. The family got separated in a park due to chaos and violence. Wakil along with his elder son, somehow managed to reach a government hospital after 12 hours of acid attack.
Wakil got Rs 2 lakh compensation from the Delhi government. He has applied for his compensation to be raised to Rs 5 lakh. The matter is pending since August 2020.
The three main categories of compensation announced the Delhi government for Delhi riots victims were:
Wakil’s elder son had to leave studies to run grocery shop for earnings and take care of his father’s treatment.
The family stayed in a rented house for almost a year because Wakil’s house and shop were burnt down by the rioters. Their house and shop were rebuilt with the assistance of NGOs.
Though the grocery shop has reopened but does not give enough business to run the house.
On 24 February 2020, 17-year-old Mohammad Akmal (name changed) got shot when he was returning home. For the past one year he is bedridden. He has no sensation in his legs.
Doctors are not sure whether Akmal will ever walk again. His younger brothers take care of and help him in doing leg exercise as guided by physiotherapists.
Akmal wanted to become an engineer but he had to stop studies due to his medical conditions. He loved going to school and assist his parents in their business. But his life has changed for worse after Delhi riots.
Akmal’s family received Rs 2 Lakh compensation from the Delhi government but the family hopes to get Rs 3 lakh more from the government.
44-year-old Lokman, a resident of North-East Delhi, was brutally beaten by the rioters while he was returning home. He was admitted in the hospital by the police.
Lokman’s wife Guddi received Rs 20,000 as compensation from the Delhi government when was undergoing treatment in the hospital. She even applied for compensation under ‘injured’ category. But she did not receive more money.
Lokman was discharged after a month’s treatment but he continued to be bedridden.
Lokman passed away after 4 months of illness in June 2020. His name is not listed among the 53 killed in Delhi riots.
After Lokman’s death, his 19-year-old son was compelled to take up job. Guddi had to leave her job because she had to take care of her differently-abled daughter.
Guddi plans to file a petition in the court for death compensation which is Rs 10 lakh to secure her children’s future.
Mohammad Zakir, a tailor, was brutally beaten by the rioters when he was returning from his factory. He fractured both his arms, legs and broke his jaw.
Zakir was admitted in the hospital by the Delhi police. An FIR was also registered in this matter. He was discharged from the hospital after a month’s treatment. Zakir and his family left for his village as had no source income in Delhi due to COVID-19 lockdown.
But before leaving the National Capital, his family applied for compensation which got rejected. After coming back to Delhi in December 2020, he has once again applied for compensation.
Zakir does not have tailoring job as his physical condition does not allow him to sit in one place for long.
An NGO is financially supporting him but he says Rs 2 lakh compensation from the Delhi government will help him in at least starting his own small business.
Journalist Akash Napa was hit by a bullet while reporting on the riots for a private news channel. The bullet is still stuck inside his body. But even in ailing condition, he continued to work for the channel. But unfortunately, he was fired in February.
Doctors have refused to remove the bullet from his body as it could damage his organs. Akash left Delhi in March 2020 after he was discharged from the hospital. He is currently living in Hisar in Haryana with his wife and a year-old son.
Akash received Rs 2 lakh as compensation from the Delhi government but most of it was spent in his treatment. With no job in hand, he is struggle to meet his financial needs. “The Delhi riots have changed my life completely. I am living in terrible conditions,” he said.
He will be filing a petition in the court with the plea to raise his compensation money to Rs 5 lakh.
22-year-old Mohammad Gufran was hit with a bullet in the chest when he was standing in the balcony during riots. He immediately crawled down inside his home and was taken to the hospital. Since the bullet was close to his lungs, the doctors did not take it out.
Later, the rioters ransacked and robbed his residence. Gufran applied for compensation to the Delhi government but he has not received any money yet.
Gufran’s health condition has forced him to quit studies. He is also unable to work.
53 people were killed and hundreds were injured in 2020 Delhi riots. Delhi government has claimed that it has distributed compensation worth over Rs 26 crore. Then why have many like Gufran and Zakir not received a paisa?
Why have many like Akmal and Wakil not got what they deserve?
The Quint has written to the Delhi government for their comment. We will update the article as and when we receive their response.
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