In a recent ruling, a local court in Muzaffarnagar acquitted seven men involved in a 2013 communal riot case due to insufficient evidence. The accused—Bittu, Praveen, Bablu, Pankaj, Pintu, Narender, and Anil—were cleared of charges linked to the violent events in Bahawdi village, where they were allegedly involved in looting and dacoity. The court, presided by Additional District and Sessions Judge Kanishk Kumar, determined that the prosecution could not substantiate its case, with several key witnesses, including the complainant, turning hostile during the trial.
The case, filed under Section 395 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), stemmed from accusations that the men had stormed into the home of one Shakir in Bahawdi and robbed him of cash and jewelry. The incident occurred on September 8, 2013, under the jurisdiction of Phugana Police Station. Despite efforts from the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which had filed charge sheets in 175 out of 510 cases linked to the Muzaffarnagar riots, the prosecution struggled to gather conclusive evidence to secure convictions in this case.
The 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, one of the deadliest communal clashes in recent Indian history, claimed over 60 lives and displaced more than 40,000 people, impacting both the Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts. Although the SIT has filed numerous charge sheets in relation to these events, only 21 individuals have been convicted in three cases so far. The slow pace of justice and frequent witness turnarounds continue to hinder the resolution of many riot-related cases.
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This recent acquittal adds to the growing number of cases where the court has found the evidence insufficient to secure convictions, drawing attention to the challenges faced in prosecuting riot cases. The Muzaffarnagar riots have been a contentious issue, raising questions about communal harmony, governance, and the criminal justice system’s efficacy in handling large-scale violence.
