For Quick Alerts
For Daily Alerts
Muzaffarnagar riots: One year on but fear, trauma still loom in the region
Muzaffarnagar riots: The worst violence in recent history of UP
- The clashes broke out between two communities in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh during the months of August and September, 2013.
- The clashes resulted in at least 62 deaths and injured 93. More than 50,000 people were displaced during the riots.
- The riot has been described as "the worst violence in Uttar Pradesh in recent history".
- Approximately 1,000 Army jawans were deployed and curfew was imposed in the violence-hit areas.
- 10,000 Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel, 1,300 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers and 1,200 Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were deployed to control the situation.
- Around 10,000 to 12,000 preventive arrests were made by the police as of 11 September 2013.
- On 17 September, the curfew was lifted from all riot affected areas and the Army was also withdrawn.
Reasons behind the riots
- Media reports said that incident of eve teasing was the reason behind the outbreak of the riots.
- According to reports, 17-year-old girl was stalked and harassed by a Muslim boy identified as Shahnawaz, a resident of Kawal village.
- Shahnawaz was beaten to death by girl's brothers. The duo was killed by a group of Muslims within 45 minutes of Shahnawaz's death on August 27.
- According to media reports, death of these three people triggered riots between the Hindus and Muslims.
What happened in August last year?
- The situation in Muzaffarnagar deteriorated after 27 August, when two youths of the Jat community were beaten to death in Kawaal village.
- The Jat community organized a `panchayat' at Jaansath town on 31 August to protest the incident.
- The panchayat demanded action against the culprits responsible for the murder of the two Jat youths.
- The panchayat then announced to organize a `mahapanchayat' on 7 September, at Nagla Mandaur, if their demands were not met.
- Around 2,000 Jats returning from the Mahapanchayat held at Kawaal were ambushed by a Muslim mob armed with rifles and other sophisticated weapons near Jauli Canal on 7 September.
Supreme Court raps Akhilesh Govt for failing to prevent riots
- The Supreme Court held the Akhilesh Yadav-led-Samajwadi Party, prima facie guilty of negligence in preventing the violence.
- The court ordered to immediately arrest all those accused irrespective of their political affiliation.
- The apex court also blamed the Central Government for its failure to provide intelligence inputs to the State Government in time to help sound alerts.
- The SC directed the Government to pay compensation of Rs 15 lakh to family members of those who lost their life and Rs 5 lakh to rape victims.
The investigation so far
- The Uttar Pradesh Government announced a one-member judicial commission composed of Justice Vishnu Sahay, a retired Allahabad High Court judge on 9 September 2013.
- The commission was asked to submit a report within two months but later on extended its tenure for six months.
- The UP Government also appointed special Investigation Cell (SIC) to probe into the riots.
- It found the involvement of 1550 accused in different cases.
- Out of 1550, 750 accused have been arrested so far, 800 are still absconding.
- The SIC completed its investigation in 370 out of 510 riot cases.
Comments