UP Government forms SIT to probe 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Kanpur

Kanpur, Feb 06: The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe the circumstances that led to riots in Kanpur in 1984 following the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

The four-member SIT, to be headed by retired UP Director General of Police Atul, has been asked to submit its report within six months, the release said.

Other members of the SIT include retired District Judge Subhash Chandra Agarwal and retired Additional Director (Prosecution) Yogeshwar Krishna Srivastava.

The SIT will also be examining cases in which a lower court acquitted the accused, and will if required recommend that the legal authorities concerned file a writ/appeal in a higher court. The tenure of the SIT has been fixed as six months.

At least 125 people were killed in 1984 riots in Kanpur after the assassination of then prime minister Gandhi.

In August 2017, the apex court had issued a notice to the state government on a petition seeking an SIT probe of the riots.