

LUCKNOW: The survivors of Muzzafarnagar riots that claimed 62 lives and displaced more than 50,000 on Monday demanded transfer of cases related to the September communal clashes to courts outside UP- preferably Delhi - fearing local leaders, administration and police could influence trial.

Over 50 survivors, who are in the state capital for the past three days to protest the conditions laid down by the government for availing financial assistance for rehabilitation, told reporters that many of them had either been threatened and asked to turn hostile or were being pressured to withdraw the cases against the rioters hailing from the dominant Jat community.

"The pressure and threat is at every step," said Asad Hayat, a lawyer assisting the riot survivors in their fight for justice. "There were gross anomalies at the time of lodging FIRs. Facts were suppressed during registration of cases. Collection of evidence was poor. Lawyers are afraid of taking up cases of the survivors and witnesses are turning hostile. Conditions like withdrawal of cases have been laid down by the accused for allowing return of the survivors to their homes," he said.

Survivors cited the alleged role of BJP MLAs Suresh Rana and Sangeet Singh Som who were booked for making inflammatory speeches at the September 7 mahapanchayat at Nangla Mandaud that preceded the riots, the worst in decades in the state.

The chief judicial magistrate, Muzaffarnagar, had directed the government to send letter rogatory to a competent judicial authority in the US for providing assistance in probing those who had uploaded a fake video clip on their Facebook account. "However, so far, it is not known what action has been taken by the state government. Local intelligence officials and police did not stand by their statements. As a result, NSA against Som and Rana could not stand legal scrutiny and was revoked," said Hayat.

Citing another case, a riot-survivor from Phugana, Jamil (name changed), whose wife was gang-raped, said, "The rapists are my neighbours who are now giving me life threats asking to take back the case." He also said his wife's medical examination was done 20 days after he lodged the complaint. "Because of the delay, evidence was lost. Under such circumstances, how can one expect a fair trial?" he asked.

Several riot survivors living in makeshift relief camps said they wanted to go back to their homes, but desisted as they feared for their lives. "The Jats in my village have told me that I cannot come back till I withdraw FIR against some of them who torched my house," said one riot victim.

Another survivor, Mohammad Dawan , of Nara village, said, "The authorities have not included names of many victims in their list, claiming they were killed due to personal enmity. In some cases, people were forced to perform the last rites of their kin without post mortem."

"After I filed an FIR against some villagers for burning my house, my name was removed from the list of people to get compensation of Rs 5 lakh," said Ataullah, another victim who is a barber.

"We have seen in previous riots across the country how investigations are botched up and trial takes years. Convictions are rare. It will be a similar course for Muzaffarnagar riots if the cases are not transferred outside UP," said an acitivist of Rihai Manch which is assisting the riot survivors.

Officials said the Special Investigation Team ( SIT ) had so far completed probe of only 254 cases out of a total of 598 registered in connection with the bloody communal clashes. These cases have been registered against more than 6,000 people, of which only 84 have been arrested so far.

