A Special Investigating Cell (SIC) has been constituted by the State Government to conduct investigation in cases related to the communal violence in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli. The rioting and arson, which erupted on September 7, claimed about 50 lives and rendered around 50,000 persons homeless.
A Home Department spokesman said on Tuesday that the SIC will investigate 80 FIRs lodged in connection with the violence. To work under the supervision of an officer of the rank of SP, the team consisting of two ASPs, three DSPs and 20 inspectors will report to the IG, Zone, Meerut and DIG, Range, Saharanpur.
The Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Sardhana, Sangeet Singh Som, was on Tuesday booked under the draconian National Security Act (NSA), even as a Muzaffarnagar court granted bail to the Bahujan Samaj Party MLA from Charthawal, Noor Saleem alias Pappu Rana and the BJP MLA from Thana Bhavan, Suresh Rana.
Mr. Saleem and Mr. Rana were arrested on charges of delivering allegedly provocative speeches in two separate meetings in Muzaffarnagar before the outbreak of communal violence. They have been asked to furnish security bonds of Rs. 20,000 each.
Mr. Som has been accused of uploading a fake video over the Internet which was related to the Kawal village incident of August 27 where a Muslim boy, Shahnawaz and two Hindu boys, Gaurav and Sachin were killed in two separate, but inter-related incidents. The fake video was alleged to have fanned communal tension leading to rioting and arson in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts.
The BJP MLA, who is incarcerated in Orai jail in Jalaun district, has also been accused of delivering alleged inflammatory speeches at the Mahapanchayat in Nagla Mandaur in Muzaffarnagar on September 7. He has been named in the FIR lodged by the police at Sikherha police station.
Non-bailable warrants of arrest had been issued by a Muzaffarnagar court last Wednesday against 16 persons, including BJP MLAs, Sangeet Singh Som, Suresh Rana and Kunwar Bhartendu Singh, BSP MLAs, Maulana Jameel and Noor Saleem, the BSP MP from Muzaffarnagar, Qadir Rana, and Bharatiya Kisan Union leaders, Naresh Tikait and Rakesh Tikait.
