FIVE YEAR AFTER THE BLOODBATH IN MUZAFFARNAGAR, NO CONVICTION HAS BEEN MADE SO FAR

It’s been five years since the Muzaffarnagar riots erupted in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh which left 60 people dead, rendering over 50,000 homeless. The investigation that followed these riots resulted in 175 FIRs. Out of these 175 FIRs, Muzaffarnagar High Court only delivered a verdict on 40 cases related to murder, rape, and dacoit.

Riots were triggered in 2013 after a woman from the Jat community was allegedly sexually harassed by Shahnawaz Qureshi, who was later murdered by the brothers of the victim.

On the way back from Shahnawaz Qureshi, his brothers angrily led a mob of protesters killing the brother of the victim who was sexually abused by Shahnawaz Qureshi. These incidences of rape and murder turned into a communal riot between two communities residing in the vicinity of Muzaffarnagar.

After the aftermath of the riots, a total of 566 FIRs were registered, out of which 492 were filed by Muslims, 40 by the Hindu community and the remaining thirty-four were filed suo moto by police.

In total, 135 cases are currently in the different stages of the trail.

Amidst growing cases of lynch mob, especially in the northern state of India, dominated by radical nationalist groups, this anniversary of bloodbath is nothing less than a blot, as no conviction has been made so far.