4 min readNew DelhiMar 21, 2026 09:21 AM IST
First published on: Mar 21, 2026 at 08:10 AM IST
On the eve of Eid, devotees at Uttam Nagar’s Hastsal Colony on Friday flocked to Badi Masjid — the biggest mosque of the area — with almost the same fervour as every year. In the lane full of shops near the mosque, revellers jostled to find space to finish last-minute purchases even as the police deployment remained heavy.
“All this deployment is just practice for tomorrow . That’s the day we have to get through,” a sub-inspector sitting on the porch of one of the shops said, referring to the Delhi High Court’s order to ensure peace in the area on Eid.
The order came in the backdrop of the death of 26-year-old Tarun Kumar near his home in A-Block in a clash with neighbours on Holi. Security was heightened after the March 4 incident. The police also launched a social media crackdown against rumours.
On Friday, checking out coloured skull caps at a stall just opposite the mosque was Sarfaraz, 28, who has been living in the A block for over five years now. “We will see tomorrow whatever happens. We are enjoying the moment. It’s way better than how it was a couple of days ago,” he smiled and said.
The owner of the stall, Imran Khan, 55, said the lane where the mosque is located has been “insulated” from the “outside” noise since the day of the incident.
He has been selling skull caps at the porch of his two-floor house opposite the mosque for four decades now, he added.
Jainuddin, a man in his late 30s and Khan’s neighbour, said that his grandfather had settled in Hastsal Colony when it was a forest. “My grandfather saw most of the families around this masjid settle here,” he said as he stepped out of the mosque after offering prayers.
Strolling down the cramped lane, while inquiring about the dates and dry fruit packets displayed on stalls, he said that the family of the accused shouldn’t have left the area in haste.
“The one who has committed the murder should be punished. But all her family members left,” he said.
As the final batch of devotees finished their Friday prayers, an announcement was made from the mosque: “Tomorrow, namaz would be at 8:15 am at the Choti Masjid, and at 8:30 am here. Please maintain order, offer prayers with peace and unity and maintain order.”
Minutes later, around 12-15 police officers marched across A and B blocks.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the police and civil administration “to take all required action permissible under law” to ensure that the situation in Uttam Nagar “does not take any ugly turn”, and that “an atmosphere is created of peaceful and dignified celebration of Eid”.
Four hundred central armed police forces (CAPF) personnel and an equal number of district police personnel had been proactively stationed in the area since March 5, the Delhi Police told the court.
Across the Capital too, the Delhi police beefed up security for Eid celebrations. “Delhi Police has put in place comprehensive security arrangements to ensure that Eid is celebrated in a safe, peaceful and harmonious environment across the city,” read an official statement.
Delhi Police has been told by the HC to ensure peace in the area. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna) 
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