7 found guilty of killing 2 youths that led to 2013 Muz’nagar riots

MUZAFFARNAGAR: A court in Muzaffarnagar on Wednesday held seven people guilty of killing two youths, Sachin and Gaurav, in Kawal village of the district in August 2013.

The murders are believed to have triggered the Muzaffarnagar riots in September that year, which left over 60 people dead and displaced about 50,000.

The additional district and sessions judge Himashu Bhatnagar convicted Muzammil, Mujassim, Furkaan, Nadeem, Jahangir, Afzal and Iqbal in the killings that took place in Jansath area on August 27, 2013. The quantum of their punishment will be pronounced on Friday.

Sachin and Gaurav, cousins and residents of village Malikpura, were brutally beaten to death by a mob with lathis, bricks and iron rods in the aftermath of a dispute. Reportedly, their bicycle collided with the motorcycle of a local youth. Another youth, Shahanawaz, also died in the clash.

Later, Gaurav’s father, Ravindra, filed an FIR with Jansath police, accusing Mujassim, Muzammil, Furkaan, Nadeem, Jahangir and the deceased Shahnawaz of killing the cousins.

The matter was investigated by Sampurnanad Tiwari, an official of the Special Investigation Cell (SIC) formed to probe into riot cases.

Tiwari submitted the chargesheet against Muzammil, Mujassim ,Furkaan, Jahangir and Nadeem to the court on November 24, 2013.

COURT CONVICTED MUZAMMIL, MUJASSIM, FURKAAN, NADEEM, JAHANGIR, AFZAL AND IQBAL IN THE KILLINGS THAT TOOK PLACE IN JANSATH AREA ON AUGUST 27, 2013

On basis of evidences and witnesses’ testimonies, the court summoned two more people -Afzal and Iqbal. While these two got bail from the court, the other five have been in prison for the past five years.

On behalf of prosecution, ADGC Jitendra Tyagi, advocate Anjum Khan and senior advocate Anil Jindal produced ten witnesses before the court, and defence lawyers, Nasir Ali and Kunwar Pal Saini, produced six.