Home Ministry closely monitoring Delhi situation

New Delhi, Feb 26: Union Home Ministry is closely monitoring the situation in Delhi where unrelenting violence over citizenship law since Sunday claimed 20 lives and injured over 150, a senior security officer said here on Wednesday.

After evaluating the situation, the Centre has deployed 45 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) including the Border Security Force and Sashastra Seema Bal companies.

The Home Ministry has also assured the Delhi Police that additional CAPF contingents may be deployed if needed whereas the Reserve Force's battalions have been kept on alert.

"The situation is improving since last night and no case of violence has been reported since morning on Wednesday", the officials said.

The CAPF's contingents deployed have conducted flag marches in the Zafarabad, Gokulpuri and Maujpur as a confidence building measures and to restore law and order situation in the affected areas, the officials added .

Keeping the situation in mind, the Centre has appointed Special Commissioner (Law &Order) SN srivastava on Tuesday evening.

He has also visited the violence-hit areas and reviewed the situation with Delhi Police officials.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has also visited the affected areas of North East Delhi and also assured the local residents that strict and stringent actions will be taken against guilty.

According to a source in the Home Ministry, Mr Doval may visit the affected areas again on Wednesday.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CSS), the highest decision making body of the Union Government will meet today to discuss the violence in the capital.