UP court acquits 22 in 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case
What's the story
A court in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, has acquitted 22 people accused in a murder, loot, and arson case related to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots owing to a lack of evidence. The decision was announced by Additional District and Sessions Judge Kanishk Kumar on Saturday, PTI reported. The judge observed that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
Case details
Case related to incidents in Mohammadpur Raisingh village
The case was related to incidents in Mohammadpur Raisingh village on September 8, 2013. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) had filed a chargesheet against 26 people in connection with these events. However, during the trial, four of the accused died. The prosecution's case was based on a complaint by Haneef, who alleged that hundreds of rioters attacked homes in the village, looted property, and set houses ablaze.
Attack details
Complainant alleged rioters damaged a mosque
The complainant, Haneef, alleged that his father, Rahishuddin, was beaten to death during the attack. The rioters were also accused of damaging a mosque and setting fire to a motorcycle belonging to a police constable. The acquitted accused are all residents of Mohammadpur Raisingh village and include Anil, Subhash, Sanjeev, Karan, among others.
Riot aftermath
One of the worst communal riots in India
The Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 were one of the worst communal clashes in recent Indian history. The violence left over 60 people dead and displaced more than 40,000 others. The first FIR in the case was lodged by Sub-Inspector Ganga Prasad against 1,300 unidentified persons for murder. The court's decision to acquit the accused comes after a lengthy legal battle.