Shops shut, eerie silence descends on riot-hit Delhi

New Delhi : Sporadic violence was reported from riot-hit areas in northeast Delhi, even as an eerie calm prevailed across the neighbourhoods in Jaffarabad, Maujpur, Chandbagh, Gokulpuri and surrounding areas, with the death toll reaching 38 on Thursday.

Most shops were closed with their shutters bearing marks of the violence that it had witnessed over the last few days and people chose to stay indoors. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had visited these neighbourhoods a day earlier to calm sentiments and also reassured people that the security forces were standing by them.

As police conducted flag marches and security personnel spread out across the northeastern edge of the national capital in a bid to quell the violence raging since Sunday. The Delhi Fire Service received 19 calls from midnight to 8 am on Thursday from the riot-hit areas, Director of Delhi Fire Service Atul Garg said.