Agra: A local court in Muzaffarnagar on Friday acquitted two men accused of arson and looting during the 2013 communal riots, citing lack of evidence after four key witnesses — including the complainant — turned hostile. Proceedings against a third accused were separated, as he remains absconding.
The case was based on a complaint filed by Riaz Hasan, a resident of Phugana, who had alleged that on Sept 8, 2013, Gaurav, Vicky, Yogesh, and others attacked his house, looted Rs 1 lakh in cash and jewellery, and set the place ablaze, injuring family members. However, during the trial, all four main witnesses, including Hasan, retracted their earlier statements.
Defence lawyer Rahul Chaudhary said, "After the violence, plaintiff Riaz Hasan stated in his complaint that around 11:30am, when he was at home, the accused and several unidentified men armed with axes and pistols entered his house and attacked him, causing serious injuries. They then looted jewellery, cash, cattle and documents, and insulted the women of the family. He claimed he escaped with his family and suffered a loss of around Rs 15 lakh, eventually becoming homeless."
A case was registered at Phugana police station under sections 147 (rioting) and 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy a house) of IPC. The accused were arrested and sent to jail but were later released on bail. During the police investigation, some suspects were given a clean chit.
Chaudhary added that Gaurav and Vicky were acquitted due to lack of evidence and the turning of witnesses hostile, while the case against Yogesh has been separated.
Several FIRs were registered after the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, and many accused have been acquitted on similar grounds. In July, a local court had acquitted 10 men charged under IPC section 153A (promoting enmity) in connection with the deaths of villagers at Kakra on Sept 7, also citing benefit of doubt. The defence had argued that the police had falsely implicated them.
The communal riots in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli were triggered after Shahnawaz, 25, was stabbed to death on Aug 27, 2013, in Kawal village, allegedly by eight men during a clash. Soon after, a mob caught two of the alleged attackers — Sachin and Gaurav — and lynched them. The chain of events led to widespread violence in which at least 62 people were killed and over 50,000 displaced.
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A journalist with two decades of experience, having worked with m...
Read MoreA journalist with two decades of experience, having worked with major news organisations such as NDTV, Times Now, and others. As a Principal Correspondent covering in West Uttar Pradesh, he reports on crime, courts, politics, human-interest stories, and minority issues. His coverage includes key institutions such as Darul Uloom Deoband and Aligarh Muslim University, as well as districts including Agra, Aligarh, and Muzaffarnagar.
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