Saturday’s Eid celebrations was the first that anyone in Uttam Nagar’s Hastsal Colony could remember when police asked people to show IDs as proof of their residence in the area before allowing them on the road to the Eidgah.
They were happy to comply – the strong police vigil was reassuring after the repeated calls for violence on Eid by fringe groups on social media, they said.
Two days after the Delhi High Court directed the police and civil administration “to take all required action permissible under law” to ensure that “an atmosphere is created of peaceful and dignified celebration of Eid”, more than 1,500 personnel of the Delhi Police and RAF swarmed the area.
The police vigil was reassuring evidence that they were alert to calls for violence by fringe groups on social media on the day of the festival. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
There was heavy barricading on both sides of Hastsal Colony, and police checked bags and IDs, as well as cameras and microphones of mediapersons. Senior officers including Special Commissioner Madhup Tiwari and Joint Commissioner (Western Range) Jatin Narwal oversaw the arrangements.
The situation in Hastsal had been tense after a 26-year-old man was killed near his home in the colony, allegedly after a quarrel with his Muslims neighbours on Holi. Several fringe groups had demanded a “khoon ki Holi” on Eid in revenge.
At the Eidgah, the prayers started around 8 am, and ended some 20 minutes later. As the namaazis came out, they showered rose petals on the police officers deployed at the site. They were grateful that the administration had ensured that peaceful prayers could be held, several of them told The Indian Express.
“We were dreading what might happen today. But the way the area was secured from outsiders who wanted to disrupt the prayers, we felt at peace,” said Mohammed Saud, 54, who said he works in a factory in Gurgaon.
Some of the people then moved towards the Badi Masjid in B Block of the colony for a second round of prayers. Instead of walking in groups, laughing and talking as people typically do on Eid, they moved together, without stopping and in a line, as security forces kept a close watch, and officers made videos.
Eid prayers at the Eidgah started about 8 am, and ended about 20 minutes later. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
“Iss baar bheed nahin hai. The prayers in the Eidgah happen in batches; this time it happened in one go. Many of those who come here for Eid from other parts of Delhi have not shown up. People have kept children indoors,” Nabi Hasan (35), said, as he walked with the others to Badi Masjid.
In the lanes and streets, the celebrations were subdued. After the prayers, most people headed home instead of hanging out in the street. Most shops were shuttered.
In a lane close to Badi Masjid, a group of friends stood smoking cigarettes after prayers. All of them wore volunteer IDs of the Muntazima Committee, a community body that oversees the governance of local mosques and graveyards.
One of the men, Mohammed Altaf, said that he had volunteered so that he could coordinate with police and ensure that there was no problem at “their end”.
“The situation is not ideal, but at least we are safe so far. We have gathered here so that if something does go wrong, we can keep a watch while the police go about doing their job,” he said.
Altaf’s brother, who runs an eatery, said people were wary of letting their children go out on Eid like every year, and it was affecting their business.
“Every year, we shopkeepers say, ‘Bachchon ki Eidi churaani hai’, meaning we must get the kids to spend their Eidi (money) in our shops. But that isn’t going to happen this year it seems,” he said.
Between 8 am and 1 pm, police detained about a dozen men at the entrance to the colony. The detentions continued even later, and by 9 pm, the number of detentions had crossed 100. Some of these people were YouTubers who were coming in the way of security arrangements, police said.
None of those who were detained are affiliated with any particular organisation, and no FIRs have been registered, a senior officer said.
Around noon, as DCP (West) Kushal Pal Singh was briefing reporters near Uttam Nagar Metro station, a group of men caused a flutter, raising slogans and attempting to move towards the colony.
The police swiftly broke their advance, and dragged one of the men who had managed to enter the colony to the Uttam Nagar police station. The rest of the slogan shouters soon scattered.
A man who claimed to be from the Bajrang Dal said a protest had been planned for 11 am, but the police had not allowed any assemblies.
More than 1,500 personnel of the Delhi Police and RAF were deployed in the area. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav) 
The police vigil was reassuring evidence that they were alert to calls for violence by fringe groups on social media on the day of the festival. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
Eid prayers at the Eidgah started about 8 am, and ended about 20 minutes later. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
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