Daily US Times, Delhi: Death toll from the violence in India’s capital Delhi has risen to 23, as Muslims fled from their homes and several mosques in the capital smouldered after being attacked by Hindu mobs.

The violence has been described the worst in decades.

It was started between the Hindu and Muslims groups on Sunday and there is no sign to stop as it runs three consecutive days. People looted several Muslim homes that had been abandoned out of fear.

More than 200 people were admitted to hospitals for injuries which ranged from gunshots wounds to acid victims, wounds from beating, stone-pelting and stabbings. Several of those who died had jumped from high buildings to escape the attacking mobs.

A police officer was confirmed dead on Monday after he was hit in the head with a stone. Yesterday, an intelligence bureau officer’s body was found in a drain in the Chand Bagh area.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal described the situation as ‘alarming’ and said the army should be called to tackle the situation.

He tweeted: ”Situation alarming. Police, despite all its efforts, unable to control the situation and instil confidence. Army shud be called in and curfew imposed in rest of affected areas immediately.”

On Tuesday afternoon, a violent Hindu mob of around 500 men attacked a mosque in Ashok Nagar, broke down the doors and set the Saffron flag, the official flag of Hinduism in the minar and then set the mosque on fire. Later in the evening, another mosque and Muslims shops were burned down the mob.

A local Muslim described how the mob destroyed everything in the mosque within 3-5 hours and left the scene shouting Hindu nationalist slogans.

“They came in the afternoon and burned everything inside and then they looted and burned the shop inside the mosque and then two Muslim houses next door,” he told Britain’s Guardian newspaper.

He asked not to be named out of fear for his safety.

“I do not even know what to say. In 35 years I have never seen a situation like this, Hindus and Muslims always lived peacefully here. We all celebrated Eid and Diwali together. Hindu women often came into the mosque with their children, so this was not just a building for Muslims but for the whole community. But whatever peace we had is now gone,” the Muslim man said.

The attacks on Muslim properties continued on Wednesday morning. Some local Hindus were seen patrolling the area to protect the mosque and offered to shelter Muslim families to keep them safe.

The riots have been spreading in a wider range of Delhi, with Jafrabad, Maujpur, Kabir Nagar, Babarpur, Brahmpuri, Karawal Nagar, Gorakh Park, Bhajanpura, Chand Bagh, Gokulpur, Khajuri Khas and Kardampuri all affected.

The death toll was 7 in yesterday evening, but risen to thirteen till night. It has risen to 23 since Wednesday evening. As the violence continues, there are fears that the death toll would rise.

Heavy deployment of paramilitary forces and Delhi Police were visible in some of the worst-hit areas on Wednesday morning.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at last, broke his silence on the violence and appeals for “peace and brotherhood”.

The Prime Minister tweeted on Wednesday, saying ”Had an extensive review on the situation prevailing in various parts of Delhi. Police and other agencies are working on the ground to ensure peace and normalcy.”

”Peace and harmony are central to our ethos”, he said in another tweet, ”I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Delhi to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times. It is important that there is calm and normalcy is restored at the earliest”.

Since the Modi government passed a new citizenship amendment act, which grants citizenship for refugees of every major South Asian religion except Muslims, in December, protest broke out in Delhi and then several parts of India. The protest turned violent several times before, but the last three days were the bloodiest days yet.

The latest violence was started after a leader from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Kapil Sharma, incited a Hindu mob to violently remove a group of Muslims who were blocking a road in north-west Delhi in protest against the citizenship act.

Both groups began throwing stones and attacking each other, which further escalated the violence.

A legal order that prevents gatherings of more than four people has been imposed across north-west Delhi, but that is proven not enough to curb the situation.

BBC reporter Nicola Careem saw Muslim residents in Mustafabad leaving their homes with bags and bundles of their belongings, fearing further clashes.

There are victims from both groups. According to Guru Teg Bahadur hospital where many of them have been admitted, there are some 189 people are injured, according to officials admitted in the hospital.