Efforts being made to curtail violence in Muzaffarnagar: UP govt tells SC

NEW DELHI: All efforts are being made to curtail the violence and provide relief to families affected by the Muzaffarnagar riots, the UP government told the Supreme Court on Monday.

The Centre also told the bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam that 78 companies of Centre Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed in the riot-hit areas.

The response of the Centre and the state government was filed in compliance of apex court order directing them to file their replies on a PIL seeking a direction to them for carrying out relief and rehabilitation work in the affected districts.

The Centre also informed the court that Rs two lakh assistance would be given to the families of deceased under Prime Minister Relief Scheme, in addition to Rs 10 lakh assistance announced by the state government.

Giving details of the ground situation, the Centre in its response, said that as per the state government's reply, 44 people were killed and 97 injured in the violence-hit areas and 2,462 people have so far been arrested.

It said that 41,829 people are stranded in Shamli and Muzaffarnagar.

The apex court had earlier directed the UP government to take immediate steps in association with the Centre to bring under control the communal violence in Muzaffarnagar and ensure safe passage to people stranded in the conflict zone.

The bench had also directed authorities to ensure that those injured are provided with immediate medical assistance.

It had dismissed the plea of UP government that no order be passed on the petitions for the time being and also disapproved Akhilesh Yadav government's stiff opposition to involving the Centre on the issue of law and order in the riot-hit districts.

The court was hearing PILs filed by a group of residents of riots-affected areas and Supreme Court Bar Association for a CBI inquiry into the incident.

They said the affected persons should be properly rehabilitated and the culprits behind the violence be brought to book.

The petitioners alleged that houses of around 20,000 people have been burnt and they must be provided temporary shelter and food and medicines be also supplied to the affected families.