Muzaffarnagar: A year and forensic test later, ‘kidnapped’ Muslim man declared murdered

Mohammad Jameel alias Jumma had gone missing after riots erupted at his native village Hadauli in Dhaurakala police station area last year. A case of kidnapping was registered. The special investigation cell formed by the state government, probing into the kidnapping case had found involvement of 25 people out of which 17 were arrested and sent to jail. Other accused are still on run.

A police team had recovered some charred bones inside Jameel’s house and had sent it to for forensic examination. The forensic report stated that bones were of male. It also stated that DNA profiling of bones was not possible as it was badly burnt.

Investigating officer (IO) of the case, sub-inspector Ghaseete Ram said that since bones were found from the house of Jameel and the “circumstantial evidence corroborated that it was his body”, they altered the case from kidnapping to murder.

Jameel’s younger brother Nazeer told The Indian Express that they were waiting for the forensic report for last one year. The police had collected Nazeer’s blood samples for DNA profiling.

Nazeer said that Jameel, a labourer, used to live with him. As riots broke out on September 8, Nazeer and his family left Hadauli and later shifted to Shikarpur village which is six kilometres from their native village.  Nazeer’s son Mohammad Feroz said Jameel had stayed back at Hadauli. After the situation normalised, they returned to collect their belongings and found the house torched. While cleaning the house they found ashes and some bones. They informed the police, Feroz said, adding the police later sent the bones for laboratory test.

The IO added that on the basis of statements of local residents it has come to light that Jameel was standing outside his house when a mob arrived there and started beating him. They forcibly dragged him inside his house where he was set on fire, he added.