Patna,(BiharTimes): The death toll in the communal violence in Azizpur-Bhilwara village under Saraiya police station of Muzaffarpur district has reached five with many more people still missing. Several of those injured have been rushed to the SKMCH in Muzaffarpur town.

Fourteen people have so far been arrested in this connection.The violence started after the recovery of the body of 19-year old student, Bharatendu Kumar Sahni, who had reportedly been missing since January 9. His family members said that the police was informed about the incident on January 11, but no action was taken against those accused.

According to the police source Bharatendu and a girl of Muslim community reportedly eloped sometimes back. A few days later the boy went missing. The body was finally recovered on Sunday from the paddy field of the accused, Shafaquat Ali.This enraged the majority community, most of them Sahnis. On Sunday afternoon they attacked the houses and property of Muslims and set them ablaze. Four persons were killed immediately while another body was recoverd on Monday. It is feared that many more people, including women and children, are missing.

The police have started combing operation, to arrest the rioters and those involved in the killing of Bharatendu. Both the communities are blaming the police and local administration as the boy had been missing for quite a few days. The situation, they alleged, were allowed to deteriorate. Even the ruling Janata Dal (United) Rajya Sabha MP, Ali Anwar, conceded lapses on the part of administration, but hastened to add that Muzaffarpur would not be allowed to become Muzaffarnagar.The local LJP MP Rama Singh, who reached the spot, squarely blamed the state government for its failure.JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP, Anil Sahni, has also reached the spot.

Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who was in Mumbai and was schedule to reach New Delhi has rushed back to Patna and is likely to reach the spot later on Monday.The state government has announced the payment of compensation of Rs 5.5 lakh to the relatives of all the victims. Besides, immediately relief and rehabilitation works have been ordered.Union minister Ram Kripal Yadav too expressed shock over the incident and held the state government responsible for it.IG (Muzaffarpur) Parasnath, DIG Ajay Mishra, SSP Ranjit Mishra and DM Anupam Kumar are camping at the village while the police headquarters has rushed reinforcement from the state capital.