Death toll in Delhi riots climbs to 53

The death toll in the Delhi communal riots has risen to 53, news agency ANI reported on Thursday.

As of now, 44 deaths have been reported at GTB hospital, 5 at RML hospital, 3 at LNJP hospital & 1 at Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital.

Meanwhile, Delhi High Court directed Delhi Police to make all efforts to locate the missing person and publish details of all unidentified bodies kept in mortuaries, after the violence in Northeast Delhi.

On the same day, seven Congress MP's were suspended from Lok Sabha on the "charges of gross misconduct" over protests in the House by Opposition parties over Delhi riots. 

They will not be allowed to attend the House proceedings for the rest of the Parliament's Budget session.

This comes amid vociferous protests and sloganeering by Opposition parties over the Delhi violence, disrupting proceedings for the fourth straight day.

Lok Sabha Members, mostly from the Congress, shouted slogans and displayed placards, demanding the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah over the Delhi violence.

They have been demanding discussion on the riots which the government has said will be done after Holi.

Delhi Police, which comes directly under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has come under fire for its ineffectiveness in tackling the riots in northeast Delhi. Delhi police faced heavy criticism after many residents, journalists, and political leaders informed that police were absent in certain violence-affected areas. In certain video footages, police could be seen standing by and watching while rioters torched shops, damaged public property, hurled crude bombs. 

Moreover, Tahir Hussain, the suspended Aam Aadmi Party councillor who was absconding after being accused in the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer Ankit Sharma, was arrested on Thursday.

He was arrested by Delhi Police immediately after dismissal of his surrender application by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Vishal Pahuja.

On the same day, Delhi's Karkardooma Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea observing that no one appeared from his side.

Normalcy seems to be returning in Delhi after days of violence over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) marked certain areas, especially in the northeast district, in the national capital. However, the calm is still reportedly uneasy, with security forces on high alert to prevent further exacerbation of the situation.