The Special Investigation Cell formed by the state government to investigate Muzaffarnagar riots have arrested one Mohammad Mujasim for the murder of Sachin and Gaurav,who were lynched by a mob at Kawaal village on September 27. The duo were killed after they reportedly attacked and murdered Shahnawaj of Kawaal village. The triple murder had led to communal violence in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining district in which 62 persons were killed. Police arrested Mujasim (36),a local vendor and cousin of Shahnawaj,from near a bus stand in Muzaffarnagar. The police claimed to have recovered an iron rod,allegedly used in the crime,from his possession. Investigating officer Sampurnanad Tripathi said Mujasim was produced in court Friday,which sent him to judicial custody. This is the first arrest by the Special Investigation Cell,formed September 14,in the triple murder case. Gauravs father Ravinder Singh had named seven persons,including Shahnawaj,for the two murders. Four persons,including Mujasim,are relatives of Shahnawaj while two others,Furkan and Afzal,are local residents. The police had arrested Furkan soon after the murder of Gaurav ans Sachin on September 27. He is lodged in Muzaffarnagar jail. Inspector Tripathi said they are conducting investigations to find out involvement of Afzal in the crime. Locals claimed that Afzal was wrongly named in the case and was out of town when the murder took place. He works in a private firm in Chennai. We are collecting details about Afzal, he said. Meanwhile,the police are yet to make any arrest in the murder case of Shahnawaj. Shahnawajs father Saleem had named eight persons,including Gaurav and Sachin,and Sachins family members. No family member of Gaurav was named in the FIR.
