Rioters from outside, some political and anti-social elements involved in violence: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that rioters from outside and some political and anti-social elements were involved in the northeast Delhi violence in which 24 people, including a police head constable, were killed.

Speaking in the Delhi Assembly, the chief minister appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah that if required, the Army should be called in to control the situation in the riot-affected areas.

Kejriwal said the common man of Delhi did not indulge in violence and asserted that a modern Delhi cannot be built on a pile of dead bodies.

He said everyone has suffered losses and that politics of hatred and violence will not be tolerated.

On Wednesday evening, Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia visited some riot-hit areas to take stock of the situation and interacted with locals.

"There are two options before Delhiites. One is that we should stand together and make prosperous future of Delhi, and second is to get involved in violence. Modern Delhi cannot be built on a pile of dead bodies. We have to make Delhi developed city through good schools, hospitals," Kejriwal said in the House.

He sought to know why such incidents took place and who were behind the violence in parts of northeast Delhi.

"The common man of Delhi did not indulge in violence. Some outsiders, some political elements and some anti-social elements indulged in violence. Hindus and Muslims do not fight and they want to live peacefully," he said.

In his earlier tweet, the chief minister said the situation has become "alarming", adding that he is writing to the Union home minister.

"I have been in touch with large no. of people whole nite (night). Situation alarming. Police, despite all its efforts, unable to control situation and instil confidence (sic)," Kejriwal tweeted.

"Army shud (should) be called in and curfew imposed in rest of affected areas immediately. Am writing to Hon'ble HM to this effect," he added.

While speaking in the House, the chief minister said that the police tried to control the situation, adding that around 50 police personnel were also injured.

But in some videos being circulated on social media, some police personnel were seen supporting rioters and it should be investigated, he said.

The Delhi government will give a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the family of head constable Ratan Lal who was killed in the violence.

"As per the Delhi government's policy, we will give Rs 1 crore to head constable Ratan Lal's family," he said in the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

On Wednesday, the chief minister also condoled the death of an Intelligence Bureau staffer, whose body was found in northeast Delhi's riot-hit Chand Bagh area.

Ankit Sharma may have been killed in stone pelting, officials said.

At least 24 people have been killed and over 200 injured in communal violence that broke out in northeast Delhi three days ago.

Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Babarpur, Yamuna Vihar, Bhajanpura, Chand Bagh, Shiv Vihar are among the areas mainly affected by the riots.