Tarun from Uttam Nagar killed after minor Holi water splash: How a 50-year old feud led to 26-year-old's death in Delhi

A 26-year-old man, identified as Tarun, died following a clash during Holi celebrations in southwest Delhi's Uttam Nagar. What started as a minor Holi water splash quickly escalated into a deadly clash between two neighbouring families, leading to Tarun's death and multiple injuries. But the feud between the families is not new, it dates back nearly fifty years, and it was fuelled owing to parking, garbage disposal and neighbourhood tensions.

According to a report in The Times of India, investigators have found that the two families have been neighbours for nearly 50 years but have had long-standing disputes over parking and garbage disposal issues.

Tarun's Uttam Nagar case

According to Tarun's father Memraj, a balloon filled with coloured water accidentally fell on a woman from the other family, which started the initial altercation. "It was around 11 p.m. on Holi, and we were getting ready to sleep when they came to attack us. Earlier in the day, a small girl had dropped a balloon by mistake, and it fell on a woman from another community. They made such a big deal about it. We even apologised to her," he was quoted as saying by PTI.


Tarun's father said the woman later gathered her relatives, who allegedly came armed with sticks and attacked the family members. "They first attacked us, and we rushed to our homes. They then locked our gates from the outside. They were around 10 to 12 people.”

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"My brother was injured, got stitches in his head, and his hands are broken. I also have injuries in my eyes, and my wife was beaten up too," he said.

He claimed that Tarun had gone out to play Holi and was attacked when he was returning home. "My son had gone out to play Holi with his friends. When he came back, they were waiting for him. They attacked him brutally and killed him," he alleged. "He was our hope. He was doing a course in digital marketing and told us he would become our support," he said.

Bulldozer in Uttam Nagar

In a bid to address rising tensions in Delhi's Uttam Nagar, civic authorities used bulldozer to demolish illegal extensions of a residence linked to an alleged perpetrator involved in the recent Holi clash that claimed the life of Tarun. The action came amid heightened tension in the JJ Colony area, where Tarun’s family and neighbours said the demolition alone was not sufficient and demanded similar action against the houses of relatives of the main accused.

Locals alleged that the demolished property belonged to three brothers related to the woman who was accidentally splashed with colour during Holi, an incident that allegedly set off the chain of events leading to the assault on Tarun. Residents of the lane also claimed that several members of the extended family live nearby.

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Tensions escalated further on Friday after a car and a motorcycle were set on fire and protests erupted in the area. Members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad staged a demonstration near Uttam Nagar East metro station, blocking the main road and demanding strict action against those responsible for the killing.

Police said eight people, including a minor, have been apprehended so far in connection with the incident. On Sunday, officers arrested the eighth accused, 38-year-old Imran alias Bunty.

(With agency inputs)