Army moved into Meerut, Shamli as a precautionary measure

LUCKNOW: On the Uttar Pradesh government's call for help, army troops were Sunday moved in to Meerut and Shamli as a precautionary measure, after communal clashes rocked the neighbouring Muzaffarnagar district Saturday, an army official said.

Central Army Command public relations officer Basant Kumar B. Pande said that a request from the state government for a column of army for Shamli was received Sunday morning while another one for an army column for Meerut was received in the afternoon.

"Requisition for army assistance in Meerut was received in the afternoon and one column is being located there," he informed.

Meanwhile, the Muzaffarnagar district administration Sunday battled to contain communal violence that erupted Saturday and left 12, including a TV journalist, dead.

An army official said eight columns of the army moved into Muzzaffarnagar at the request of the district authorities Saturday.

Eight army columns from Meerut under Brigadier Jagdeep reached Muzaffarnagar Sunday morning.

After holding meetings with the district authorities and assessing the situation, the columns were positioned in the sensitive areas of the city. They also staged a flag march.

Officials in the state home department said the situation was "tense" but under control.