Muzaffarnagar riots: Charges framed against 6 accused in murder case

Charges have been framed against six accused by the Muzaffarnagar district court in connection with the killing of a villager during the communal clashes last year.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Jitender Kumar has framed charges under Sections 302 (murder), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon) and 149 and 153a (promoting enmity between different groups and carrying out acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of IPC against the accused, identified as Karan Bhgoda, Bablu, Bittu, Niraj, Ashok and Amit here yesterday.

The court fixed Dec. 18 as the date for the prosecution to present its evidence in the case.

According to the prosecution, the victim, identified as one Sagir of Kharad village of the district, was murdered while several houses were burnt by rioters on September 8, 2013.

The Special Investigation Team probing the riots cases had filed the charge-sheet against the six accused.

Communal violence which broke out in Muzaffarnagar in early September of last year left more than 40 people dead and about 40,000 homeless.