Delhi riots: Death toll stands at 44, L-G visits violence-affected areas

The communal violence in northeast Delhi last week has claimed 44 lives, officials said on Thursday as Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and minister Gopal Rai visited the riot-affected areas and took stock of the situation there.

Central Board Secondary Education (CBSE) officials said over 98 per cent attendance was recorded in class 12 accountancy exam in the riot-hit areas. On Wednesday, 97.8 per cent attendance was recorded in the class 10 board exam for the science paper.

Special parent-teacher meetings were held in government and aided schools in the violence-hit areas for the second consecutive day. At one such meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia interacted with parents and students affected in the communal clashes to encourage the pupils start attending schools again.

 

Paramilitary forces have been conducting flag marches and holding meetings with the locals in Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Babarpur, Chand Bagh, Shiv Vihar, Bhajanpura, Yamuna Vihar and Mustafabad where the violence, that sparked from protests over the amended Citizenship Act, was the most intense.

The police said it has registered 654 cases in connection with the riots and 1,820 people have been either detained or arrested so far.

Northeast Delhi Deputy Commissioner Shashi Kaushal said, "The death toll stands at 44. We are still waiting for figures from the police."

Later, the police also confirmed the death toll. Additional PRO of Delhi Police Anil Mittal said, "The death toll in the northeast Delhi violence stands at 44."

However, an official with Delhi Health Minister's office said 53 people were killed in the riots but did not give any break-up. The figure of 53 was given when clarity was yet to emerge on whether three bodies at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) hospital and five at the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital were related to the communal violence or not.

While over 200 people have been injured in communal violence, it is not clear how many people are still missing. The Delhi High Court has directed the police to publish in its website details and photographs of all unidentified bodies brought to government hospital mortuaries following the riots.

Lieutenant Governor Baijal who visited the riot-affected areas with Delhi minister Gopal Rai, held a review meeting with officials on several issues, including security. He also held a meeting with peace committees in the northeast district.

The situation is improving gradually with joint efforts of public, police and administration, he said later.

The Delhi Cabinet has decided to enhance compensation for the damage caused to residential units due to the riots. According to a government statement, each floor of a multi-storey building will be treated as a residential unit for the purpose of providing compensation.

Rs one lakh would be provided as damages for complete loot of household goods in residential units and Rs 50,000 for partial loot. Ex gratia of up to Rs 10 lakh will be given to schools damaged during the riots, according to the statement.

Earlier, the government had announced Rs 5 lakh as compensation for total damage of a house -- Rs 4 lakh to the owner and Rs one lakh to the tenant.

The AAP government said it has so far disbursed Rs 88.55 lakh among people who have been affected by the riots.

Delhi BJP president and Northeast Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari said his party will distribute ration packets and money for the victims. A relief committee of the party will visit the violence-hit areas and distribute the aid from Friday.

Each affected family will be provided Rs 5,000 along with the ration packets. Efforts will be made to reach out to at least 200 families everyday, he said.