Muzaffarnagar calm, toll touches 35

No untoward incident was reported from Muzaffarnagar Tuesday as 975 people were arrested for their "direct or indirect" role in the communal violence that has left 35 dead.

Officials said the situation was tense but under control. Curfew was relaxed for an hour to allow people to shop for essential items. The district administration cancelled 1,820 arm licences.

Meanwhile, motorbike-borne assailants shot at a fruit vendor in neighbouring Saharanpur. His condition was stated to be stable, an official told IANS.

The National Security Act (NSA) was slapped on five people in Baghpat and Saharanpur, home department officials informed.

The state government Tuesday removed the station house officers of Meerapur and Bharkhala for being callous and unable to control the rioting. Home secretary Kamal Saxena, however, clarified that rioting had not led to any death in Shamli. He added the killing of a man there Monday was out of animosity.

The maximum deaths (32) have occurred in Muzaffarnagar. While 67 persons have been injured there, six have been admitted to hospitals with injuries in Saharanpur and seven in Baghpat.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav appealed for calm and said lawlessness would not be tolerated under any condition.

Talking to reporters after a cabinet meeting, Yadav told reporters stringent action would be taken against people who take law in their hands and try to vitiate the atmosphere in the state.

-- Indo-Asian News Service

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