The atmosphere in the narrow lanes of Hastsal village in Uttam Nagar feels heavy ahead of Eid on Saturday, lacking the area’s typical festive buzz. Only weeks after a Holi clash that resulted in the murder of 26-year-old Tarun Kumar, residents described an uneasy calm in the area, maintained by a strong police presence. Amid heavy policing and muted festivities, people in Delhi’s Uttam Nagar voiced sorrow over the changed mood during Eid. (PTI) Vaishali Kumar, 18, was standing outside her house selling sevvaiyyan, the thin vermicelli associated with Eid-ul-Fitr. “It’s very unfortunate what happened.” Each year, my parents sell sevvaiyyan worth ₹10,000 daily in the lead-up to Eid. This year, our daily sales have been approximately ₹3,500. “People from surrounding areas are avoiding this market due to fear,” she said. For 103-year-old Rabia Khanam, Eid has always meant the scent of sevvaiyyan drifting through the streets, lively markets with mehendiwallahs, and the hectic bustle of shoppers rushing for new clothes. ALSO READ | Eid Mubarak 2026: 300+ Chand Mubarak wishes, images, WhatsApp status, GIFs, greetings to share on Eid ul-Fitr. “There’s so much excitement usually… But this year, it’s just not the same,” she said, sitting inside her home in a neighborhood where tension has persisted since the March 4 clash that killed Kumar. The incident sparking the tension occurred on March 4, when an 11-year-old girl threw a water balloon from her terrace, striking a Muslim woman. This sparked a clash between the two families that escalated into a brawl, injuring at least eight people. Taran Kumar, 26, died from his injuries a few days later.
