Amid apprehensions over the absence of reaction by the Uttar Pradesh government to the Hashimpura verdict, the victims and survivors are relatively relieved. Some of them met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday when he assured them that the government would file an appeal against the Hashimpura verdict in higher courts.
“The Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav met us and listened is quite patiently. To start with he assured us that the State government will certainly file the appeal against the verdict. He said the official process for appeal has already been started,” Zulfiqar Nasir, who is one of the survivor of the massacre told The Hindu .
“He also asked us what do we want. We requested him for better compensation and better monitoring of the case on behalf of the State,” Mr. Nasir added.
A trial court in Delhi acquitted all the 16 accused Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel due to “insufficient evidence” giving them benefit of doubt. The PAC men were accused of abducting and killing in cold blood 42 residents of Hashimpura area in Meerut on May 22, 1987.
The victims have decided to file an appeal against the acquittal of the PAC men in the higher courts.
