The death toll from India's worst religious clashes in a decade has risen to 704 with the recovery of more bodies from burnt houses in the western state of Gujarat, officials said on today.
"The toll has gone up to 704 with recovery of more bodies from different parts of the state but we don't expect it to climb further", a police official at the state control room said.
The figure included 58 people who were burnt alive when a train they were travelling on was set on fire by a Muslim mob in Gujarat's Godhra town on February 27th, triggering mass killings in the state's main city Ahmedabad.
The train passengers were returning from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh where thousands of Hindus had gathered to build a temple on a site sacred to Muslims and Hindus.
Officials said the situation in most parts of Gujarat was peaceful during the past 24 hours as many sensitive areas still remained under night curfew.