Muzaffarnagar calm, curfew relaxed for seven hours

The riot-ravaged Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh was calm for a third day Thursday, with authorities relaxing curfew for seven hours.

As the strict curfew was lifted from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., thousands of people ventured out to buy groceries and other essential items, which have run into shortages following the weekend violence.

Troops continued to be deployed in the violence hit areas. Police conducted door-to-door searches to identify and arrest rioters in the main town and adjoining areas.

"We are trying to ensure that supplies of essential items like milk, bread, flour, rice and other eatables is ample and within the reach of the riot hit areas," said an official.

Meanwhile, over 10,000 people who have been thronged the 10 relief centres set up by the administration are being identified and their losses verified by officials.

The government sent in additional food supplies, gas cylinders and foodgrain to the city as markets have been shut for more than five days.

No more bodies were found Thursday, and the state government finally put the number of dead in three horrific days of violence at 38.

The condition of one of the nine people in the district hospital remained serious. The other eight are out of danger.

Additional Director General of Police Arun Kumar told IANS that the police were busy swooping down on troublemakers.

Muzaffarnagar, the state's sugar capital and home to four million people, was gripped by unprecedented communal violence.

While the official death toll is 38, other reports suggest the figure may be higher.

More than 10,000 people have been detained as a preventive measures and cases slapped against 990. The National Security Act (NSA) has been slapped on seven people.

With the Samajwadi Party cracking the whip after coming widespread criticism, senior police officials, including two additional generals, are among those deployed in Muzaffarnagar.

Communal clashes erupted in Muzaffarnagar Saturday after simmering discontent over an eve teasing case of Aug 27 in which three people were killed. The subsequent violence left 38 dead and injured 93.