Muzaffarnagar: Calling the communal violence here in Uttar Pradesh "a big incident", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh consoled families of some of the victims and sought "strictest action" against the killers.
A week after the worst communal clashes in two decades engulfed Muzaffarnagar district, 130 km from New Delhi, the prime minister flew to the area with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
"Efforts will be made to ensure that the strictest action be taken against those behind the (communal violence)," a grim faced Manmohan Singh said after touring some of the most affected places.
Manmohan Singh spoke to officials as he walked through Bassi Kalan village and later Tawli amid tight security.
At least 48 people were killed and more than 100 injured as the communal violence Sep 7-9 quickly spread to villages, forcing the state government to deploy the military.
The orgy also saw more than 43,000 people take shelter in makeshift centres as they fled their rural homes after coming under attack from mobs -- or because they feared violence.
