Ghaziabad: For the second day in a row, Khoda’s grief was overtaken by a show of force. A family’s plea for justice for a murdered boy soon swelled into a charged mobilisation as groups of outsiders claiming to be members of right-wing organisations poured into the densely populated colony off NH-9 and shouted communal slogans, marched to the victim’s house, kept markets shut and residents on edge.In waves, groups arrived from Noida, Baghpat, Bulandshahr, Hapur, Meerut and other nearby districts. Residents said fresh batches turned up almost every 10 minutes, gathered near NH-9 and then walked the roughly 300 metres to the boy’s house. Along the way, many raised inflammatory slogans, including “goli maro” chants aimed at one community. More than five times, protesters spilled onto the highway, briefly blocking traffic before police pushed them back using mild force.The crowd, which included women, demanded that the remaining accused in the murder case be killed in a police encounter, hours after 19-year-old Asad — the prime accused — was shot dead in an exchange of fire with cops. Some protesters also made communally loaded claims about the circumstances surrounding the killing.Ashutosh Singh, who came from Meerut, said he was there to support the family and seek justice. Referring to the boy’s mother, he said she had already lost her husband a few years ago and had now lost her younger son too. Another protester, Anshul Kumar from Hapur, described the killing as an “eye-opener” and demanded exemplary punishment for the accused.But inside Khoda, many residents watched in silence and with unease. One of the largest such colonies in the region, Khoda is home to a vast population of labourers, migrants and gig workers who commute daily to Noida, Ghaziabad and Delhi. For many here, the colony’s everyday struggles are about work, rent and civic neglect, not communal confrontation.The shutdown has hit hard. With tension persisting and outsiders continuing to pour in, shops and markets remained largely closed for a second day. Sanjay Gupta (65), a neighbour of the victim, said the family deserved justice, but added that in over two decades in the area, he had never seen a murder turned into such a communal issue.For daily-wage workers, the disruption carried an immediate cost. Sunil Sharma, a resident, said missing work meant losing that day’s income and, with it, money for food and his children’s school fees.Mohammad Aslam, who runs a grocery store, said he had kept it shut for three days out of fear for his family’s safety. “People are coming here with so much hate. They are raising slogans that can foment tension,” he said, adding that his family had been unable to sleep properly at night.Dhawal Jaiswal, DCP (trans-Hindon and City), said more than 300 police personnel and two PAC battalions had been deployed in Khoda to maintain law and order. He said officers had managed the situation on the ground and repeatedly calmed protesters through intervention and talks.
