Muzaffarnagar riots case: 20 acquitted over lack of evidence

A sessions court in Muzaffarnagar acquitted 20 people in connection with the murder and looting of their neighbour in Lank village of the district during the 2013 riots. The verdict was delivered on Tuesday.

About 60 people died and thousands were displaced in the riots, which also affected neighbouring districts of Meerut and Shamli.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Kamlapati observed the prosecution had failed to furnish “proper evidence” related to the charges. Those acquitted were accused of slitting the throat of their neighbour Abdul Hassan of Lank village before shooting him dead on September 8, 2013.

A total of 1,198 accused in the riots cases have so far been acquitted for want of evidence.