Delhi police constable among 13 chargesheeted in Muzaffarnagar

Muzaffarnagar, Nov 23: The Special Investigation Team probing the Muzaffarnagar riots has chargesheeted 13 people, including a Delhi police constable, in arson and loot cases during the riots last year.

SIT inspector Ram Raten Singh who investigated the case has filed a chargesheet last evening under sections 395 (dacoity), 436 (Mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house) and 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) of IPC in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate against 13 accused.

The chargesheeted persons are identified as

constable Anuj Kumar, Rajender, Kala, Dharmender, Bijender, Rishideve, Kirshan, Bittu, Lokender, Nisu, Brahma, Amit Kumar, and Narender.

All of these were found involved in alleged cases of arson and loot during the riots. Several houses were burnt and property was looted by the rioters in Lisadh village under Phugana police station in the district on September 8, 2013.

Over 60 persons were killed and more than 40,000 displaced in communal violence in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas in September last year.

Earlier in the month, the one-man inquiry commission appointed by Uttar Pradesh government on Muzfarranagar riots had sought an extension, as his term was about to end. The commission of retired judge of Allahabad High Court Vishnu Sahai, constituted on September 9 last year, had twice been given extension for six months each and its tenure ended.

The commission has sought more time to complete its inquiry and will have its next sitting on November 26 here, Commission sources said. District Magistrate Koshal Raj Sharma said on Nov 10 that authorities have not yet received any notification on extension of the commission's tenure.

The state government had asked the commission to probe the violence starting from Kawal incident on August 27, 2013 and submit its reports in two months but later the deadline was extended.

PTI