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Northeast Delhi Violence: Death Toll Mounts to 34

PTI |
In Khajuri Khas, a 13-year-old girl, who had gone to school to take an examination three days ago, is missing.
Riots in Delhi

New Delhi: Seven more fatalities have been recorded at three hospitals, taking the total death toll in the Northeast Delhi communal violence over the amended citizenship law to 34 on Thursday, according to senior officials.

Till Wednesday night, the total count of casualties had stood at 27, out which 25 were at GTB Hospital in Dilshad Garden.

"Five more deaths were recorded at GTB Hospital, and one more death at LNJP Hospital. One fatality was reported at Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital on Thursday, taking the total death toll to 34," a senior official of the Delhi Health Department told PTI.

One person was declared brought dead by doctors, while another had died during treatment at the LNJP Hospital on Wednesday.

Over 50 patients have been provided treatment at the LNJP Hospital since the violence broke out on Sunday in various parts of northeast Delhi, officials at the hospital said.

More than 200 people have been injured in the violence that raged in the areas over the last few days. 

Khajuri Khas: Class 8 Girl Who Went to Take Exam Missing 

A 13-year-old girl, who had gone to school to take an examination in the Khajuri Khas area three days ago, went missing amid the violence in northeast Delhi, police said.

The girl, a Class 8 student, lived with her parents in Sonia Vihar suburb and had gone to her school, some 4.5 km from their home, Monday morning but has not returned since, they said on Wednesday.

Her father, who deals in readymade garments, told PTI, "I was supposed to pick her up from school at 5.20 p.m. But I got caught in the violence that unfolded in our area. My daughter is missing since then."

A police officer said a "missing person" FIR has been registered and search was on to find the girl.

Another man, a resident of Vijay Park in Maujpur, said his family members, who were trapped in a house in Shiv Vihar for two days, were also unreachable since Tuesday night.

"I have one house in Shiv Vihar, near Medina mosque. Two of my children live there, two live here in Vijay Park with me. Due to the violence in the area, I could not reach them and have lost connection with them since last night," Mohammad Sabir, around 70, said.

"They had told me yesterday about mobs surrounding the house and they had managed to escape but I have no clue where they are now. The situation is tense in the area and my appeal to the police is to please help us," he told PTI.

At least 34 people have lost their lives and more than 200 got injured in the violence that unfolded in Maujpur, Jafrabad, Babarpur, Yamuna Vihar, Shiv Vihar, Bhajanpura, Chand Bagh, Ghonda, among other residential pockets in northeast Delhi since Monday.

The Delhi Police said they have registered 18 FIRs and arrested 106 people for their alleged involvement in the violence so far. 

Fire Service Got 19 Calls till Thursday Morning

On Thursday, the Delhi Fire Service said it received 19 calls from midnight to 8 a.m on Thursday from riot-hit areas of Northeast Delhi, an official said.

 Over 100 firemen are deployed in the area and all the four fire station in the area are provided with extra fire tenders to meet any emergency and are being managed by senior officers, Director of Delhi Fire Service Atul Garg said.

‘Mosque, Dargah Vandalised’

A mosque and a dargah were vandalised before being set afire during the communal violence in Northeast Delhi, locals claimed.

The mosque is situated at Ashok Nagar area in Northeast Delhi, while the dargah is located in Chand Bagh.

The locals in Ashok Nagar area on Wednesday said the mosque was set on fire by unidentified miscreants on Tuesday afternoon. 

"We got to know about it through social media... We came to know from police that the mosque was vandalised around 12 pm. This is unfortunate and I can say that it was not done by any local, outsiders were involved," one of the locals, who did not wish to be named, said. 

He said the mosque was very old and construction work was going on there. There were a few Muslim families who lived there but now they have left the area, he added.

Sajjad Ibrahim from Chand Bagh expressed anguish over the vandalism of the dargah.

"Chand Peer Baba is worshipped more among Hindus who flock here on Thursday night. Seeing the shrine in such a condition is very hurtful. Did any Hindu shrine get vandalised this way? Those who vandalised the dargah forgot the legacy of the saint who blesses and fulfills wishes of both communities," he said. 

Opposite Chand Bagh is Bhajanpura. According to residents, Chand Bagh has 70% Muslim population, while Bhajanpura has 80% Hindus. 

Families in Bhajanpura said they saw masked rioters come in vans and disperse into two groups that vandalised both areas.  

Locals said both sides are suffering in the absence of electricity, shuttered medical shops and absence of basic necessities like vegetables and milk. 

Armed Personnel Help in Cremation

Amid an eerie calm in northeast Delhi's Shiv Vihar, where communal violence broke out four days ago, 26-year-old Rahul Solanki's body was taken to a crematorium by his distraught kin and armed paramilitary personnel.

Solanki, who was pursuing his LLB from a private college in Ghaziabad, had stepped out on Monday to buy milk. He died after he was shot in the right shoulder near his neck, his father Hari Singh Solanki said.

"We took his body home from GTB Hospital. We wanted police and paramilitary forces to give us protection till we reached the crematorium to perform his final rites," he said.

A friend of Rahul, who was with him when he was shot, said they could not see who fired at him.

"We saw a mob approaching us and began to run. We were barefeet and Rahul went to put on his slippers. While he was putting them on, some unidentified persons shot him dead," he said.

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