Delhi’s Uttam Nagar Tense After Man’s Death In Holi Clash; Road Blocked, Vehicles Set Afire

Tension flared in southwest Delhi’s Uttam Nagar on Friday after a 26-year-old man died following a clash during Holi celebrations, triggering protests by Hindu organisations that blocked traffic for several hours and incidents of arson in the area.

According to police sources, members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad staged a protest under the Uttam Nagar East Metro Station, demanding strict action against those responsible for the killing.

Protest Blocks Road Near Metro Station

Protesters sat on the road and raised slogans, leading to heavy traffic congestion in the busy locality. Long queues of vehicles were seen on both sides of the road as the demonstration continued for several hours.

Police personnel struggled to disperse the protesters and restore normal traffic movement.

“Our teams worked to remove the protesters from the road so vehicular movement could be restored. Several ambulances were also stuck in the traffic,” a senior police officer said.

#WATCH | Delhi | Heavy security was witnessed in the Uttam Nagar area to disperse the massive crowd that gathered outside the Uttam Nagar PS in support of Tarun’s father, who staged a sit-in protest against the death of his son, allegedly due to a fight during Holi. pic.twitter.com/EcDX5j7MwP

— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2026

Police Use Mild Force To Clear Protest

Officials said repeated appeals were made to protesters to vacate the road. When the crowd refused to disperse, police used mild force to clear the blockade. 

“Protesters were trying to disturb traffic. Our teams used very light force to disperse them from the spot so that the vehicular movement could become smooth,” the officer said.

Heavy police deployment was made in the area, with several station house officers from nearby police stations called in to manage the situation and regulate traffic.

Drones were also deployed to monitor the crowd and identify people involved in blocking the road and disrupting traffic, officials said.

Vehicles Set On Fire

Amid the prevailing tension, a car and a motorcycle parked in Uttam Nagar’s JJ Colony area were set on fire on Friday afternoon.

The Delhi Fire Services said it received a call about the blaze at around 2.02 pm.

“Fire tenders were rushed to the spot, and the flames were doused promptly. Police have been informed about the matter,” a DFS officer said.

Police said no injuries were reported in the fire incident and an investigation has been launched to identify those responsible.

Holi Dispute Led To Violent Clash

Security has been tightened across the locality following the death of 26-year-old Tarun, who succumbed to injuries after a clash between two families belonging to different communities during Holi celebrations on Wednesday.

According to police, the incident occurred in JJ Colony after a dispute broke out between members of the two families.

Preliminary investigation suggested the argument began after coloured water from a balloon splashed on a woman, leading to a heated exchange that escalated into violence.

Several people from both sides sustained injuries during the clash. Tarun was seriously injured and later died during treatment at a hospital.

Family Alleges Attack

Family members alleged that the dispute began when an 11-year-old girl playing Holi from a terrace threw a water balloon that burst on the road, splashing coloured water on a woman from another family.

Tarun’s grandfather, Maan Singh, who was also injured, alleged that the woman began abusing them and later gathered several members of her family and community who attacked their relatives.

He claimed that although the situation appeared to calm down initially, members of the other family later assaulted Tarun when he was returning home.

Tarun’s uncle Ramesh alleged that his nephew was attacked by a group of people despite not being involved in the earlier argument.

“The moment he entered the street, some eight to 10 people attacked him with sticks, rods and stones. My nephew had no idea about the fight, but he was still attacked. They thrashed him so badly that he died during treatment,” he alleged.

Arrests Made, Security Tightened

Police said four people have been arrested and a juvenile apprehended in connection with the case.

“We got to know that the fight stemmed from throwing balloons. We have registered an FIR, arrested four and apprehended one juvenile. Further investigation is underway,” said Kushal Pal Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka).

Officials said additional police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in the area and security will remain heightened until the situation fully returns to normal.

(With inputs from PTI)