2013 Muzaffarnagar riots

The clashes between the Hindu and Muslim communities in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, India in August–September 2013, resulted in at least 62 deaths including 42 Muslims and 20 Hindus and injured 93 and left more than 50,000 displaced. The exact numbers have been the subject of much debate. In a Public Interest Litigation filed by a victim of the violence, Mohammed Haroon and others in the Supreme Court, the number of deaths is suggested to be over 200. By 17 September, the curfew was lifted from all riot affected areas and the army was also withdrawn.

The riot has been described as "the worst violence in Uttar Pradesh in recent history", with the army, as a result, being deployed in the state for the first time in last 20 years. Supreme Court of India while hearing petitions in relation to the riots held the Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party, prima facie guilty of negligence in preventing the violence and ordered it to immediately arrest all those accused irrespective of their political affiliation. Court also blamed the Central government for its failure to provide intelligence inputs to the Samajwadi Party-governed state government in time to help sound alerts.

Initial clashes
On 21 August 2013, communal clashes were reported from Muzaffarnagar and police registered cases against 150 people and 14 persons were taken into custody. Clashes between two communities, Hindu Jats and Muslims, in Shamli and Muzaffarnagar grew on 27 August 2013. The original cause of the rioting is disputed according to bipartisan claims largely concerning the affected communities. In this case, the cause of this rioting alternates between a traffic accident and an eve-teasing incident. According to the first version, the cause was a minor traffic accident involving some youths which then spiralled out of control when it eventually took on religious overtones. In the second version, a girl from the Hindu Jat community was allegedly harassed in an eve-teasing incident by one Muslim youth in Kawal village. In retaliation, Hindu relatives of the girl in question, Sachin Singh and Gaurav Singh, killed the youth named Shahnawaz Qureshi. The two brothers were lynched by a Muslim mob when they tried to escape. The police arrested eleven members of the girl's family for killing the Muslim youth. According to some locals, the police did not act against the killers of the Hindu brothers. According to police records, Gaurav and Sachin picked a fight with Shahnawaz over a motorcycle accident. While it has been widely reported that the fight was sparked off when Shahnawaz harassed Gaurav and Sachin’s cousin sister, the FIR in the murder makes no mention of sexual harassment or molestation. NDTV carried a contradictory report saying that the girl who was allegedly harassed by Shahnawaz commented that she had not gone to Kawal or known anybody by name of Shahnawaz. In the FIR registered for Shahnawaz's death, five people along with Sachin and Gaurav were named as responsible for his death. The reports mentions that the seven men entered Shahnawaz's home, took him out and killed him with swords and knives; he died on the way to the hospital. In the FIR registers for Sachin and Gaurav's death, seven other men were reported to be responsible; that episode was sparked by an altercation after Mujassim and Gaurav were involved in a bike accident.

After news of the killings spread, the members of both communities attacked each other. The police took possession of the three dead bodies, and temporarily brought the situation under control. The authorities also deployed Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel to Kawal.

In September 2013, fresh riots sparked off and around 11 people including TV journalist Rajesh Verma were killed and more than 34 were injured after which indefinite curfew was clamped and the army deployed to help maintain law and order.

Gathering of masses
The killing of the three youths in Kawal village started echoing across the district. On 30 August, two days after the incident, local Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress leaders had hijacked a Muslim meeting demanding justice for the Kawal incident. Also, local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders allegedly gave an incendiary speech instigating the Hindu farmers on 31 August. A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against all the leaders. After the meeting, the farmers were attacked and killed on their way home.

Jauli Canal Incident
Clashes between the two communities occurred at low frequencies for the next two weeks. Around 2,000 Jats returning from the Mahapanchayat held at Kawwal were ambushed by a Muslim mob armed with assault rifles and other sophisticated weapons near Jauli Canal on 7 September. The mobs had set fire on 18 tractor trollies and 3 motorbikes. According to an eyewitness account, the bodies were dumped into the canal. Although six bodies were recovered, it was rumoured that hundreds were missing. Bodies of three Jats were found at the site of violence and three Hindus bodies were fished out from Jauli Canal. District Magistrate agreed that many bodies were still missing, but doubted whether the missing people were killed or had migrated earlier from the village. Survivors of the Jauli Canal incident added that the policemen who were watching the assault did not help the victims, as they had said that 'they do not have orders to act'. This Jauli Canal incident aroused Jats to go on a rampage against Muslims with the claim that the latter were responsible for the killings. This led to the riots, which killed around 43 people (including a news reporter and a photographer). The casualties occurred before the Army was deployed and a curfew was imposed in Muzaffarnagar and its surrounding Shamli district.

Even with the curfew and use of army the clashes continued for the next three days, with casualties increasing to 43 by 12 September 2013. A state home department official said that 38 people died in Muzaffarnagar, 3 in Baghpat, and one each in Saharanpur and Meerut.

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Timeline of the riots
 27 August 28 August
 * Three youths were killed in a brawl that broke out over an alleged eve teasing incident. The incident was reported differently in local and national media:
 * One version tells of a Muslim youth who was caught harassing a Hindu girl. Her brother and his friend beat up the alleged molester and shot him dead, but were then lynched by a mob.
 * According to the local police superintendent, a resident of Malakpura village was told by his sister that a boy was harassing her. Enraged at this, he, and a friend attacked the alleged harasser with a knife and later shot him. As the two tried to flee the crime scene, they were overpowered by the villagers and were beaten to death.
 * According to another version, the dispute broke out after their motorbikes collided with each other, leading to an argument, and then violence.
 * A mob returning from cremation of the Hindu boys was involved in arson.

29 August
 * Incidents of pelting with stones took place between the two communities.

30 August
 * A huge crowd gathered after Friday prayers in Shaheed Chowk from minority community.

31 August
 * Jat community organised a panchayat seeking justice for death of their two youth on 27 August. They also demanded the removal of Superintendent of Police of Shamli district. Also, a mahapanchayat was planned to be held on 7 September at Nagla Mandaur.
 * Mob set car on fire and attacks its occupants.

1 September
 * Uttar Pradesh Police filed FIRs against people who gave speeches at Shaheed Chowk and Nangla Mandoud.

2 September
 * Mobs broke walls of worship places in Sanjhak and Titavi.
 * BJP calls for bandh.

3 September
 * Case lodged against MLA Sangeet Som and many others for re-sharing a fake video of Kawal incident. The video was a banned clip from Pakistan and it was uploaded to Facebook by some random person with a caption of Kawal incident. It went viral and was shared by hundreds of Facebook users including Sangeet Som.
 * Violence in Shamli.

4 September
 * Sporadic violence reported in Muzaffarnagar.

5 September
 * Call for Mahabandh across Muzaffarnagar district.

6 September
 * Bharatiya Kisan Union staged a sit-in outside Nangla Mandoud jail.

7 September
 * Police attacked and firing reported from both sides of community alongside arson.
 * IBN7 channel’s correspondent Rajesh Verma was killed while trying to film the area. A photographer Israr hired by the police was also killed. Nine others were killed
 * Army called in and town put under indefinite curfew.
 * Atleast 30 people were arrested in connection with the riots.
 * Death toll recorded 13.

8 September
 * Police imposed curfew in three area, Civil lines, Kotwali and Nai Mandi of Muzaffarnagar.
 * Army Personnels and battalions of CRPF were deployed to control the situation.
 * Incidents of violence were reported from Sisauli, Shahpur, Fugna, Kalapar and Dhaurakala areas of Muzaffarnagar.
 * Death toll rises to 26.,

9 September
 * Governor B. L. Joshi submitted report to Center, said failure of State Government.
 * Top Police officers transferred and 200 people arrested so far. All political leaders prohibited from entering the region.
 * Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speaks to State Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav asking about the steps taken to control the riots.
 * Union Home Secretary meets with Cabinet Secretary and Intelligence Bureau to review the situation in Muzaffarnagar.
 * Social media websites like Facebook is being monitored.
 * Death toll touched 31.

10 September
 * Army staged flag marches and Curfew remained in force in Muzaffarnagar.
 * A PIL demanding CBI probe into the riots was filed in the Allahabad High Court today.
 * PM announces 2 lakh rupees compensation for the relatives of those dead and 50000 Rupees for those injured in the riots.
 * Death toll raises to 38.
 * Authorities cancelled 1,744 arms licenses in Bhorkala, Shahpur and Phugana.

11 September
 * Uttar Pradesh police had recovered AK47 catridges from the riot-affected areas, suspecting weapons to had been used in the riots -->

Sexual violence
The first case of gang-rape was registered in the aftermath of the riots from the village of Fugana in Jogiya Kheda. Later two more cases of rape were registered in October. It was reported on 15 November 2013 that a total of 13 rape and sexual harassment cases were registered over the past two months of rioting and the report named 111 people in the incidents but no arrests had been made till then.

Mahapanchayat in Sardhana
A Mahapanchayat (great council) of 40 villages was held in Khera, Sardhana on 29 September 2013 to protest against the Uttar Pradesh government charging the local BJP MLA Sangeet Singh Som under the National Security Act. The crowd became violent when the police began to brandish sticks. The situation turned tense when a rumour spread that a youth injured in police action had died. Crowd set fire police jeeps and other vehicles.

Repercussions
On 30 October 3 people were killed and 1 injured after a clash between two communities in Mohammadpur Raisingh village of Muzaffarnagar district. Police forces were deployed and an alert was sounded in the entire district. The incident is widely seen as repercussion of the violence in September. On 4 July 2014, a local court has recorded the statement of a witness and deferred till 16 July the hearing in the Kawal killing case here.

Action
Approximately 1,000 army troops were deployed and curfew was imposed in the violence-hit areas. 10,000 Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel, 1,300 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers and 1,200 Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were deployed to control the situation.

Around 10,000 to 12,000 preventive arrests were made by the police as of 11 September 2013. They cancelled 2,300 arms licenses, seized 2,000 arms, and filed seven cases under the National Security Act.

Approximately 50,000 people have been displaced. Some of them took shelter at ten state-run relief camps.

By 31 August 2013, five FIRs were registered in connection with the case and eleven people have so far been arrested and booked under various charges, including that of rioting and murder. Police arrested former Uttar Pradesh Minister and Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Dharamvir Baliyan, party’s district president Ajit Rathi and ten other political activists when they tried to visit communal violence hit Kawal village of Muzaffarnagar district.

Investigation
Seventeen FIRs have been lodged against leaders including one for the Mahapanchayat (great council) which organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Union leaders. The Uttar Pradesh Government announced a one-member judicial commission composed of Justice Vishnu Sahay, a retired Allahabad High Court judge on 9 September 2013. The commission has been asked to submit a report about the violence within two months. The UP government also removed five senior officials of the police and the administration from Muzaffarnagar for their poor handling of the situation.

Misuse of social media
Chief Judicial Magistrate issued non-bailable warrants against 16 politicians. On 20 August 2013, BSP MP Kadir Rana was booked for his alleged hate speech in Khalapar area of the city. He was absconding but surrendered on 17 December 2013 and was sent to judicial custody. BJP MLA Sangeet Som was arrested for allegedly uploading a fake video that shows a Muslim mob brutally murdering a Hindu youth and delivering provocative speeches.

Sting operation
A sting operation done by Headlines Today revealed that UP Cabinet Minister Azam Khan ordered police officers to release Muslims and not take action against them. However, Azam Khan has denied the charges.

Response
Political parties such as Bahujan Samaj Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal and Muslim organizations including Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind demanded the dismissal of ruling Samajwadi Party government and imposition of President's rule in the state.

The failure of UP government to take prompt action is usually attributed to Akhilesh Yadav's indecision. According to a report in The Caravan, one reason for the hesitation may have been the response to a law and order directive weeks before the riots. Despite a ban on the activities of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, many of the organisations activists' managed to reach Ayodhya for a campaign. Akhilesh's government may have feared a similar undermining of their authority if they tried to ban the meeting of Mahapanchayat .

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde informed the press that he had already warned the Uttar Pradesh government about the escalating communal tensions there, for which Akhilesh Yadav had promised preventive measures.

Senior Samajwadi Party leader and Minority Welfare Minister Azam Khan was absent from Party’s national executive meeting which was held at Agra. He is reportedly unhappy with the manner in which the district administration handled the situation in Muzaffarnagar.

Sompal Shastri, who was a candidate of Samajwadi Party from Baghpat, refused to contest 2014 Loksabha polls.

Reactions

 * "BJP MLAs and workers and people from a particular community are being targeted by your (Samajwadi Party) government."


 * "From Muzaffarnagar violence, administrative failure of SP government has once again come to fore. It has proved that Akhilesh government has bowed in front of criminals and it should immediately resign"


 * "The violence in Muzaffarnagar is on and government is a mute spectator to it...The government is doing politics of communalism"


 * "SP Govt's track record in this tenure is bad. Haven't been able to control Communal Forces in UP. Even BSP's was better."


 * "The district administration should have taken measures to prevent the people from Haryana and Delhi from reaching the venue of the Mahapanchayat. The district magistrate should not look at Lucknow always for instructions. He should have exercised his discretion and prevented the people from other states from reaching Muzaffarnagar.India is a free country and there is no restriction on people from other states coming to UP. However, they should have behaved responsibly"


 * "I had warned the state Chief Minister of the build up. The number of cases of communal disturbances have increased in UP in 2013. I spoke to UP CM and told him tension is rising and arrangements need to be made. He said he would make arrangements"


 * "Whatever happened in Muzaffarnagar started a long time ago. Several incidents happened and if you look closely you will realise that some people were carefully planning this kind of violence"

Relief camps
State Government has organised relief camps in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts for riot victims of 9,000 families, with over 50,000 members. According to district magistrates of Muzaffarnagar and Shamli, 3,500 families comprising over 23,000 members in Muzaffarnagar and 3,000 families consisting of over 15,000 persons are staying in camps in Shamli.

In Muzaffarnagar there are three relief camps where about 1,000 persons of one community have taken shelter while about 3,200 families of another community are staying in another 2 camps. In Shamli they are running 14 relief camps where foodgrains, milk, and water are provided to the families.

Deaths in camps
As of 22 October 2013, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has said that seven deaths have occurred in the Loi relief camp in the aftermath of last month's riots in Muzaffarnagar even as organisers at Malakpur camp in Shamli district admitted that eight babies died at the camp. In Joula camp out of 30 deliveries in the camp three babies had died. In December, Al Jazeera English reported that an additional 30 children had "died due to the harsh cold".

Book
The book Living Apart: Communal violence and forced displacement in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli, based on a field report conducted between March and July 2016, chronicles the lives of the victims of the Muzaffarnagar riots and reflects on the violence that occurred. The book also offers criticism for the apparent apathy of the state government for the victims.

The novella In The Name of Blasphemy, written by Neeraj Agnihotri, is also set in the backdrop of Muzaffarnagar riots, talking mainly about the suffering and brutality caused by the riots in the name of religion.

Censure and Indictment
A report composed by a six-member team of the Center for Policy Analysis, comprising Harsh Mander, Kamal Chenoy, John Dayal, Seema Mustafa, Sukumar Muralidharan, and E.N. Rammohan, censured members of the Samajwadi Party(SP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) for their role in the violence. According to the report, the violence was "seen to be a choreographed spectacle in which the SP and the BJP would create sharp polarisation on communal grounds, compelling the electorate to make a choice between them and squeezing out other parties which have been claiming significant shares of popular vote."

The Justice Vishnu Sahai commission, which made an enquiry into the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, blamed members of the SP and the BJP for being involved in the violence. The commission also blamed senior police and administrative officials for errors which led to the escalation of the violence.