21 dead in Muzzafarnagar clashes

Lucknow/New Delhi, Sept 8 (ANI): Thirty people have been arrested so far in connection with the communal clash between two communities in Muzzafarnagar, and the death toll has risen to 21 with 40 others injured. ADG Law and Order Uttar Pradesh Arun Kumar said the situation was under control in Muzaffarnagar. “Since last night no […]

Lucknow/New Delhi, Sept 8 (ANI): Thirty people have been arrested so far in connection with the communal clash between two communities in Muzzafarnagar, and the death toll has risen to 21 with 40 others injured.
ADG Law and Order Uttar Pradesh Arun Kumar said the situation was under control in Muzaffarnagar.
“Since last night no untoward incident has taken place. Eight columns of army have reached Muzaffarnagar and they have conducted flag march. The government of India has dispatched extra police force and CRPF personnel. Senior officials have been sent to Muzaffarnagar and its surrounding areas from Lucknow. We have arrested 30 people since last night and situation is under control,” he said in Lucknow.
Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has sought sacking of the state government, claiming that it failed to perform its democratic and constitutional responsibility.
“It not only reflects complete bankruptcy on the party of the state government but the government has failed perform its democratic and constitutional responsibility. Mayawati has been demanding for a very long time that this government is a failure and it should resign. This government should be sacked by invoking 356 article of the Constitution,” BSP leader Sudhindra Bhadoria said.
The (BJP) leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi hit out at the UP government over repeated communal riots in the state.
“Action should be taken against the rioters, the perpetrators of such crimes and innocent people should be given protection. But opposite is happening. Uttar Pradesh is reeling under a series of communal riots on a weekly basis and still they call themselves secular,” he said.
Army on Sunday staged a flag march in riot-hit areas of Muzaffarnagar district, and the UP government has imposed an indefinite curfew in Civil lines, Kotwali and Nai Mandi area of Muzaffarnagar.
According to reports, at least twelve persons, including a TV channel journalist and a photographer hired by the police have been killed and around 40 injured in clashes between two groups since yesterday.
Violence broke out in the Kawal area of Muzaffarnagar yesterday when members of a community returning from a panchayat meeting in Naglabadhod, three kilometres from Kawal, clashed with members of another community.
According to TV reports, Rajiv Verma, who worked as a freelance television journalist, was reportedly caught in the crossfire at Meenakshi Chauraha. In Sekeda village, a photographer who the police had hired, was beaten to death.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 15 lakh to the kin of the TV journalist and Rs 10 lakh to the family of others who were killed in clashes between members of two communities in Muzaffarnagar.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/21-dead-in-muzzafarnagar-clashes/