For three families that lost their breadwinner, life changes forever

Jaina Devi, 32, regrets not stopping her husband Shakti Singh from venturing out at around 6pm on Monday when he heard that at least 200 people were trapped in a nearby gurukul after rioters laid a siege around it.

- Debashish Karmakar

Among those trapped was also his brother Ombir Singh, 30, who is a teacher there.

A few hours passed, but Singh, 35, did not return. When the family finally heard about him after 12 hours, they got to know that he was killed.

Singh, like five others, was a victim of the violent communal clashes that erupted in Nuh and soon spread to adjoining areas. The bereaved family recovered his bruised body from a government hospital in Mandi Khera on Tuesday morning. "Me and our children are now left with a dark future," Devi said. Singh worked as a mason in Mewat.