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Crime
Muzaffarnagar Riots: Court Acquits 37 in 2013 Murder Case After 13 Years
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 06 Nov 2026, 12:45 PM
👁 3
A court in Muzaffarnagar has acquitted 37 accused in the 2013 communal riots case involving the murder of eight Muslims, citing lack of sufficient evidence.
In a significant legal development, the Additional District and Sessions Judge in Muzaffarnagar, Manjula Bhalotiya, has acquitted 37 individuals accused in the 2013 communal riots. The verdict, delivered on February 20, 2026, marks the conclusion of a case that has been pending for 13 years.
The case pertained to the murder of eight Muslim men during the violence that erupted in the city in 2013. The prosecution had sought convictions for these deaths, but the court found the evidence presented insufficient to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt.
Judge Bhalotiya cited the absence of concrete proof linking the specific accused to the murders as the primary reason for the acquittal. This decision brings a legal end to the proceedings for these 37 defendants in this particular charge.
The 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots were a period of intense communal tension in Uttar Pradesh, resulting in significant loss of life and property damage. The legal battle over these incidents has spanned over a decade, affecting the lives of the accused and the victims' families alike.
The case pertained to the murder of eight Muslim men during the violence that erupted in the city in 2013. The prosecution had sought convictions for these deaths, but the court found the evidence presented insufficient to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt.
Judge Bhalotiya cited the absence of concrete proof linking the specific accused to the murders as the primary reason for the acquittal. This decision brings a legal end to the proceedings for these 37 defendants in this particular charge.
The 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots were a period of intense communal tension in Uttar Pradesh, resulting in significant loss of life and property damage. The legal battle over these incidents has spanned over a decade, affecting the lives of the accused and the victims' families alike.