Khargone Ram Navami violence: From ‘rioters won’t be spared’ to collapsing cases

Inspector supervising riot cases from 2022 admits: “We are facing difficulty as the accused names are generic, without any father’s name or address”

12 min readKhargoneUpdated: Aug 26, 2026 10:36 PM IST

Khargone violence trials: Acquittals, dead ends and failing evidence

At least 16 houses and 29 shops were demolished in Khargone, MP, a day after the Ram Navami violence on April 10, 2022. (File/ Photo Enhanced using AI)

On July 27, a Madhya Pradesh Sessions Court acquitted 11 men accused in the 2022 Khargone Ram Navami violence that left more than two dozen people, including Khargone Superintendent of Police Siddharth Choudhary, injured, and one dead.

In the wake of those clashes, the administration had razed 16 houses in the affected localities, linking these to alleged irregularities, and 65 cases were registered. Then Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan vowed, “There is no place for rioters on the soil of Madhya Pradesh… They will not be released. Strictest action will be taken against them.”

Four years later, the cases are collapsing one by one, or are stuck without headway, an investigation into court records by The Indian Express reveals.

AI-generated image

The only three riot cases to complete trial have all ended in acquittal, including the one in which the order came on July 27. As per the Khargone police, four cases have been closed for want of evidence after police failed to trace the accused, while 38 FIRs remain under investigation, with police yet to find roughly 85 accused in them.

And 20 cases are at the stage of submission of evidence by the prosecution, with witnesses being examined.

In the cases leading to acquittal in Sessions Courts, three different judges pointed to the prosecution’s failure to prove who committed the crimes, questioned how the accused came to be implicated, and noted that the forensic evidence itself contradicted claims of the use of petrol bombs.

Hasina Fakhroo’s house built under PMAY (Urban) was demolished. (Express photo by Anand Mohan J)

Asked whether the government will appeal against the acquittals or not, the prosecution department said they will first review the judgment.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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