india

Updated: Mar 02, 2020 15:23 IST

The Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday handed over a cheque of Rs 10 lakh to one of its soldiers, Mohammad Anees, whose house was gutted in fire in Delhi violence. More than 40 people have been killed in the violence which broke out in the Northeast district of the capital.

The cheque was handed over by Inspector General, BSF DK Upadhyay at the BSF headquarters in Delhi. The force is also looking after the repair of the damaged house.

“The situation is terrible here but everything will get alright. All my superiors are helping me. I am fortunate to be part of BSF,” Anees had told news agency ANI on Sunday.

While the BSF soldier is posted in Odisha, his relatives used to stay at the house in Khajuri Khas area of northeast Delhi.

“I was born and brought up here but I never saw such a thing in my life. Nothing of such sort should happen in future and I hope everyone will stay peacefully,” ANI further quoted him as saying.

Anees is about to get married in May. One of the cousins is also supposed to get married. The family reports having lost almost all their savings and gold in the blaze.

Officials had earlier said that the BSF will rebuild constable Anees’ house and hand it over to him as a “wedding gift”.

A BSF officer said that the 29-year-old constable will also be transferred to Delhi “very soon” so that he could be with his family and prepare for the wedding.

On Sunday, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had sanctioned Rs 10 lakh to constable Anees as an aid.

In an official statement, Patnaik expressed regret over the communal clashes in Delhi and was “saddened to know that house of Constable Mohammad Anees, 9th Battalion BSF was burnt down in recent communal violence in Delhi,” read the statement from the Chief Minister.

The riots that broke out in northeast Delhi last week have claimed over 40 lives with hundreds injured. The clash between anti-CAA protesters and supporters has been described as the deadliest incident of violence witnessed by the national capital in decades.

(With inputs from agencies)