Headquarters falls on bad times

New Delhi: Once a hotbed of political activity, the headquarters of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in Delhi has turned into a dumping ground and a hideout for petty thieves.

Located in south Delhi's Zakir Nagar area, the three-storey building was sealed in 2001 after the organisation was banned. Vandals have since stripped it of its doors and windows. An iron gate that once guarded the entrance has also vanished.

Overgrown lawn

The broken windowpanes give the building a ghostly look while the overgrown lawn outside is littered with refuse. Children occasionally play cricket in the building's portico.

"The sealed SIMI headquarters is a problem for the neighbourhood. The building has been stripped of all its belongings, including computers, kitchen material and electronic appliances. Even buckets have been stolen from the bathrooms," said Musheer Alam Khan, who lives next door.

"It has become a dumping ground. It stinks during the monsoon when it is flooded with rainwater and becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes," he said.

"It has turned into a safe haven for petty thieves. I have erected a small wall on my terrace to prevent thieves from sneaking into my house," he said.

Moinuddin, another resident of the area, recalled the days when students used to come to the building in search of reference material.

"Its library had rare books. Youngsters from nearby areas and students of Jamia University and other institutions used to come to the library to read books. It used to be a great place for research work for students," he said.