New Delhi, Feb 29 (IANS): During his visit to the violence hit areas of northeast Delhi on Saturday, National Commission for Minorities Chairman Gairul Hassan Rizvi asked officials to hold peace meetings between the two communities to bring peace.

Rizvi along with other members of the commission visited the violence hit Bhajanpura, Chand Bagh, Karawal Nagar and Khajuri Khas areas.

The commission members also went to the residence of Border Security Force (BSF) trooper Mohammad Anees, whose house was torched by miscreants on Tuesday and also met families whose houses were gutted in the violence.

Speaking to IANS, Rizvi said, "I have directed the police officials to hold meetings of the two communities for peace."

He said he has also asked the police to take more steps to bring peace in the area.

"The meetings between the two communities should not happen with the people residing on the main road but also on the inner streets and small lanes to dispel the atmosphere of fear," he said.

On Saturday, locals were seen distributing the forms issued by the Delhi government to seek compensation for the damage to their properties. Even as most of the shops opened on Saturday in the violence hit areas, normalcy is yet to return. Heavy deployment of police, para military and the Rapid Action Force was visible in the affected areas.

People and families, who had fled due to the riots have not yet returned to their homes.

Many of the families, fleeing the violence hit areas, wished not to speak to the media and said that they were returning to their native places in different states or going to the homes of their relatives in the city.