The Prime Minister is likely to visit violence hit Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh on Monday. PMO sources said in New Delhi that Dr.Manmohan Singh will make an on-the-spot assessment of the situation in the district that witnessed group clashes a week ago. He is expected to discuss the situation with Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Dr.Singh will visit hospitals where the injured are admitted.
After the violence broke out there, the Prime Minister talked to the Chief Minister and assured all help from the Centre in dealing with the situation. Condemning the violence he expressed his deep anguish over the loss of lives. He has sanctioned 2 lakh rupees each for the next of kin of those killed and 50,000 thousand each for the seriously injured in the clashes from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.
Against the backdrop of group clashes in Muzaffarnagar, the Centre has convened a meeting of National Integration Council on the 23rd of this month and the meeting is expected to focus on such incidents.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is visiting Muzaffarnagar and other places hit by recent violence tomorrow. He will also visit the relief camps in the district where more than forty thousand people have taken shelter. A Special Investigation Cell has been constituted to probe the violent clashes in and around Muzaffarnagar. The team has already begun collecting evidence against perpetrators of violence and communal enmity. He said that whoever found guilty will be severely punished.
Meanwhile the situation in Muzaffarnagar city remained totally peaceful in the day long curfew relaxation period. The curfew relaxation was extended by another hour. It was relaxed from 7 A.M. to 8 P.M. The shops and business establishments were open and there was hustle and bustle in the market. Though the sense of security is gradually setting in the city dwellers, the tension still prevails in the rural areas. However no major untoward incident has occurred since last three days in any of the troubled areas of Muzaffarnagar and other places and the situation is totally under control, authorities claim.
Heavy deployment of the army and paramilitary forces continues in the entire district of Muzaffarnagar, troubled areas of Shamli and Meerut. Whereas paramilitary forces in large number will remain deployed in Shahanpur, Bijnore and Baghpat, authorities said.
