Delhi Riots: Arun Modern School being rebuilt despite compensation delay

Stepping onto the grounds of Arun Modern Public Senior Secondary School in North East Delhi, one encounters a paradox: a vibrant, bustling courtyard stands in stark contrast to the ghosts of 2020’s devastating riots, when it found itself on the brink of absolute ruin. The riots had left in their wake a trail of burnt notebooks and textbooks, razed hallways, and empty, soot-laden corridors.

Amid the lively rush of students and the school’s revived spirit, the scars of destruction serve as haunting reminders of the trauma endured. Located between the Muslim-majority Mustafabad and Hindu-majority Brijpur, this once-tattered institution has emerged from the ashes, yet the financial and emotional recovery remains incomplete.

Despite their resilience, the school and its community still await the vital compensation promised by the North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission.

In the aftermath of the riots, the school was left utterly ruined, with not one corridor recognisable in its former glory. In the midst of the situation, the students found themselves caught in the crossfire during their examinations. Files from the date the school was first set up in 1986 were also lost to the inferno of the riot.

Thus, on February 25, 2020, the school closed its gates after the vandals left the institution unrecognisable. It finally opened its gates for the first time since then, after three months, as they made the ground floor hospitable to conduct the final examinations of the students. The other floors remained in disarray, awaiting some form of repair.

According to Abhishek Sharma, the superintendent of the school, the repairs amounted to a couple of crores, and the coffers were running dry. Initially, the residents had helped by pitching in a small donation, but it was not enough. Subsequently, through their claim for compensation, the Delhi government provided them with a certain amount of money.

“It was not enough, but it had to do for the time being. We got some of the floors fixed to at least be able to conduct our classes and help the children not fall behind on their education,” Sharma said.

“A couple of assessors and loss auditors came to the school later in 2022 to ascertain the amount of loss that we had incurred. We had already sent over our form with the details regarding our losses, and we had estimated a loss of over Rs 1.5 crore. When they (assessors) arrived on campus, they ratified our losses and then told us that they would only be able to give us Rs 1 crore. We are still waiting,” Sharma said.

Although the wait has now extended by over two years since the assessors arrived to ratify the losses, the school remains hopeful.

“There is nothing to worry about as such. We have recovered since then, although some financial help from the government would be beneficial. However, considering everything, I believe that we have not done any better than how we are doing now. There has already been an increase in the number of students from when our school was razed to the ground,” Sharma stated.

Also Read: Delhi riots: 2790 victims still await compensation

Earlier in 2020, the school had 832 students, but now the number has gradually risen to over 1,000. “Some of our older students are still studying. On the other hand, we have our alumni network too, who have admitted their children into the same school they graduated from, while others have just joined our school through word of mouth. Suffice it to say, we have withstood the test of time,” Sharma said.

Arun Modern Public Senior Secondary School has emerged as a beacon of hope in the locality that burned the most, with a nearby mosque also bearing the brunt of the rioters’ violence. They remain hopeful of being able to educate multiple successive generations and also improve the situation surrounding the school once they receive their share from the North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission.