This is one record that would queer the pitch for the Akhilesh Yadav Government in Uttar Pradesh in the run up to the lok Sabha polls next year. UP has recorded the highest number of communal incidents this year and also accounts for the most number of casualties due to such violence.
Out of 143 deaths due to communal incidents across the country, UP registered the maximum number of casualties with killing of 95 persons and injuries to 313 others in as many as 250 incidents, the Centre told the Parliament on Wednesday.
According to data provided in Rajya Sabha by Union Minister of State for Home RPN Singh, a total of 725 communal incidents were reported till October this year in the country which, apart from leading to death of 143 persons, also caused injuries to 1,978 others.
The State which came second on the list of incidence of communal riots was Madhya Pradesh with 70 occurrences, leading to the death of eight persons and injuries to 225 others.
Gujarat and Karnataka saw a total of 61 such incidents each during the said timeframe and reported losses of seven and one lives, respectively. Maharashtra saw a total of 64 such incidents in which 11 people lost their lives while 285 others were injured.
The northeastern states of Sikkim, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland reported no communal incidents this year. “Details of the extent of loss of property and persons rendered homeless in such incidents are not maintained centrally,” the Minister said in his written reply.