Hundreds of families lost their homes in Seelampur, Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Bhajanpura, Mustafabad and Shiv Vihar barely days ago as a result of the worst riots Delhi has seen in decades. Today, they are mere statistics amid the dying embers of communal violence that rocked north-east Delhi from February 23-28, leaving more than 40 dead and over 300 injured. Rioters threw stones, looted and set on fire shops, houses, petrol pumps, vehicles and mosques. Fearing for their life, residents have moved to shelters or are quitting the city, carrying whatever they can of their remaining material possessions. Even those who were not directly affected by the violence have chosen to leave as they now feel unsafe. Shops remained shut, many burnt or ransacked. As tension and fear gripped these once-crowded localities, paramilitary forces patrolled the areas to try and restore a semblance of normalcy. The deserted streets littered with bricks, stones, charred vehicles, broken bottles and other detritus of hatred tell a different story.

Vijay Pandey is a Delhi-based photojournalist

Two steps backward: Migrant labourers from several states including West Bengal, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar are moving back to their hometowns in search of safety

When home is the mouth of a shark: Riot-affected Muslim families at a shelter set up in north-east Delhi

No country: Khadeeja Khatoon’s house was burnt down by a mob during the riots at Shiv Vihar. “I can’t believe my family is still alive. It was evening when the mob came and burnt my house. My one-year-old daughter Sajda got injured and started crying; I clamped her mouth with one hand as we silently escaped, jumping from terrace to terrace, even as the rioters pelted us with stones and bricks. I don’t have the courage to go back to where I spent 15 years of my life happily,” says Khatoon

Another day: Vijay Pal, 38, and his wife Annu leave Brijpuri with their four children. They are moving back to Sambhal, UP. “I am an electrician. My house is quite close to a Muslim-dominated area and some of the houses have been attacked by rioters. My children are young and they are scared. There is a constant fear of being attacked. Jaan hai to jahan hai, kahin aur kama lenge (Where there’s life, there’s hope; I will find work elsewhere), ” says Pal

No place called home: Many of the riot-hit areas are seeing an exodus of Muslim residents

Packing up: Bablu Singh, 35, a worker at a local socks manufacturing factory in Shiv Vihar, leaves with his family for his hometown in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He witnessed rioters — complete with helmets and other protective gear — burning shops, vehicles and houses at Shiv Vihar Chowk. “The factory where I work has been closed since the violence began,” he says

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Crossroads: Mohd Muzaffar, 29, a resident of Shiv Vihar, leaves for Purnea in Bihar. “I have lived here for 10 years, but the past few days were terrible. A mob threw stones at Muslim houses and chanted Desh ke gaddaro ko, goli maaro saalon ko (kill traitors)”