Finally, Akhilesh Yadav takes stock of riot-hit Muzaffarnagar

‘A departmental inquiry has been ordered against Dubey besides suspending him due to his failure in timely controlling communal incidents in Muzaffarnagar,’ a home department release issued in Lucknow said.

The UP CM’s visit comes a day before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s scheduled visit to the district for an on-the-spot assessment in the riot-hit area and commencement of the monsoon session of the state assembly. ‘The incident was saddening ... not only for those who lost their young sons but for us also. We have already appealed for peace to everyone and my government will take strict action to deal with those creating trouble,’ Akhilesh Yadav told reporters following his cavalcade.

The 40-year-old CM was greeted with black flags during his visit to the strife-torn districts of Muzzafarnagar and Shamli. Yadav’s first stop was at Kawal village, where he faced an angry crowd shouting slogans and protesting against the government’s failure to control riots. Later, the CM left for Malikpura and Kandhla to meet family members of victims. In another setback, former union minister and Samajwadi Party candidate from Baghpat for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Chowdhary Sompal quit party in protest against the riots.

In today’s visit, the PM is expected to discuss the situation with Akhilesh Yadav, while the Opposition parties are likely to put the UP government in the dock over the issue.