Delhi violence: Toll rises to 46 as 3 more bodies recovered

Three more bodies were recovered from the violence-hit northeast Delhi today, taking the number of deaths to 46. One of the bodies was found in a canal in Gokalpuri and two were recovered from the Bhagirathi Vihar canal, officers from the Delhi Police said.

Earlier, 38 people were declared dead at the Guru Teg Bahadur hospital, and 3 at the LNJP Hospital. One of them was a police officer, reports NDTV. 

More than 200 people were injured in the four-day flare-up as armed young men went on a looting, burning and thrashing spree. Among those injured were 11 police personnel, including senior officers Amit Sharma and Anuj Kumar.

The violence had started small, as clashes between supporters and opponents of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act. It started as US President Donald Trump landed in India on a two-day visit, but rapidly spun out of control, necessitating an urgent, midnight intervention from the Delhi High Court, which sought immediate police action.

Two Special Investigative Teams (SITs) have been constituted under Crime Branch, Delhi Police to probe the violence.

As parliament starts tomorrow for the second part of the budget session, the Congress is expected to raise the issue and demand Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation over alleged police lapses. The party sent a five-member team on Thursday to gauge the ground situation.

The Delhi violence had been preceded by hate speeches by a section of BJP leaders and ministers ahead of the assembly elections.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union minister Anurag Thakur had strongly advocated the use of bullets for "traitors" - a word their partymen often used to describe the people protesting against the citizenship law.

Today, "Goli maaro" slogans were raised by BJP supporters in Kolkata, while on way to a rally addressed by Union home minister Amit Shah.