Police, army personnel dot violence-hit Muzaffarnagar

R V Singh and his family had to walk over 5 km from the railway station here and plead with the police to allow him to go to his home in this curfew- clamped district.
"I walked for over 5 km from Muzaffarnagar station. The police stopped us and we had to plead so that we reach home," said Singh, who returning from Mathura along with his wife Sujata and five-year-old daughter.
The usually bustling streets and junctions of this violence-hit district like Shiv Chowk, Bhagat Singh Road and Roorkee Road wore a deserted look with only police and army personnel seen.

Khairunissa of Lakh Bavdi village in Shamli district has lost three of her relatives.
"I have lost three of my relatives and 11 people from my village have died so far," she said.
She was brought to the hospital along with 10-year-old Ajra and four-year-old Aksha - both suffering deep injuries on their hands and stomachs.

Patients to the district hospital are pouring in from different parts of Muzaffarnagar and neighbouring Shamli.
With no ambulance facilities in villages, patients are being brought in on beds converted into make-shift stretchers.
Chief Medical Officer Dr V K Johari said, "Currently we have 15 patients admitted in the hospital. Eight have been discharged. Nineteen more were referred to the district hospital in Meerut."

A resident, who refused to be quoted, said, "Curfew was a bit relaxed yesterday, but the police are observing it strictly today."
Even the media was not allowed to enter the city without special passes issued by the district administration.