The Border Security Force (BSF) will rebuild its soldier Mohd Anees's house, which was burnt down by Hindu mob, during the recent communal riots in northeast Delhi over the Citizenship Amendment Act or CAA. The BSF said that it will be a "wedding gift" from them to Anees, who is serving the mother India since joining the paramilitary force in 2013.

Anees, who is a resident of northeast Delhi's Khajuri Khas and posted in West Bengal's Siliguri, will soon be transferred to Delhi so that he can prepare for his wedding which will be held in April this year.

Delhi Riots
Security personnel marching in a violence-hit area in northeast Delhi.

Northeast Delhi riots

Hundreds of Muslim families were huddled inside their homes in northeast Delhi and several houses were set ablaze by a Hindu mob who were angry over Muslims' protest against the government's controversial Citizenship Amendment Act. One of those houses was Anees' parental home in Khas Khajuri Gali. A car parked outside his house was also burnt.

The BSF got to know about the incident from media reports and decided to offer monetary assistance to the 29-year-old constable. "The jawan's house suffered extensive damage as it was burnt by rioters during the recent communal clashes in northeast Delhi. While his family members are safe, the house needs re-building and renovation work," the officer said.

BSF Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Pushpendra Rathore has also met the family of Anees and assured them of all the help from the paramilitary force. He announced that Rs 10 lakh will be given to Anees and BSF's engineer will help rebuild his home in a fortnight.

"We have decided to provide an assistance amount of Rs 10 lakh to the jawan from our welfare fund. Also, the engineering wing of the force will rebuild the house within a fortnight," he said, adding that his house will be in good shape before April and termed it a "wedding gift" to him.

Anees, along with his father Mohd Munis, 55, uncle Mohd Ahmed, 59, and 18-year-old cousin Neha Praveen were in the house when a mob shouting "come here Pakistani, we'll give you citizenship" threw a gas cylinder inside and set it on fire. Some 35 houses of Muslims near Anees's were set ablaze by the rioters during the clashes in Delhi.

At least 42 people were killed and over 200 others were injured in the riots in Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Gokalpuri, Khajuri Khas and Bhajanpur in northeast Delhi. The riots started after clashes between pro and anti-CAA supporters in Jaffrabad. The riots went on for four days and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had to come down to the ground to help ease the tension. The situation is calm now with flag-marches in violence-hit areas.

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