NEW DELHI:  The riot-hit northeast Delhi limped back to normalcy on Friday with several shops opening for the first time since Sunday and people coming out of their homes to buy essential items.

However, the death toll from the violence rose to 42 as four more persons succumbed to their injuries.

Paramilitary personnel remained vigilant and took out flag marches in areas torn by violence. In a bid to calm the nerves, security forces interacted with local residents and imams of mosques in affected areas.

During the Friday prayers, Muslim worshippers were told to remain united and not fall prey to rumours.
Meanwhile, investigation teams from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the Crime Branch visited the Chand Bagh area to gather evidence.

A bullet has been recovered by the FSL personnel near the site where a Delhi Police head constable was shot dead. Investigators also visited the house of suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain to probe his alleged role in the riots.

Hussain was booked for the murder of an Intelligence Bureau staffer. A case was registered against him under sections 365 and 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

MS Randhawa, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Crime said that a total of 123 FIRs had been registered in connection with the riots so far.

“We have registered 25 FIRs in connection with firearms, so far and around 630 people have been arrested detained or arrested,” Randhawa said.

Families of riot victims were still complaining about difficulties in retrieving the dead bodies of their loved ones. Many were seen waiting outside the mortuary at Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital.

Nearly 7,000 paramilitary forces are deployed across the northeast district of the national capital, where violence erupted on Sunday, following a protest over the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

In addition to the paramilitary personnel, hundreds of Delhi police personnel are also deployed to maintain peace.