Fast Track Court in Muzaffarnagar Acquits 11 Hindu Men Accused of Burning Muslim Homes, Looting and Rioting in Lisad Village citing “lack of evidence”
NEW DELHI/ MUZAFFARNAGAR — In a verdict that has reopened wounds for many victims of the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, a fast track court on Thursday acquitted 11 men accused of looting, vandalising, and setting fire to Muslim homes in Lisad village. The court said there was a “lack of evidence” to hold them guilty.
The 2013 riots, which started in Kawal village and quickly spread to nearby areas, left more than 60 people dead and displaced thousands of Muslim families. Many survivors, mostly Muslims, have since been living in relief camps or migrated to other areas out of fear.
On May 9, Judge Neha Garg of the Fast Track Court in Muzaffarnagar acquitted the accused, citing the prosecution’s failure to present proper evidence and reliable witnesses. The judgment has triggered anger and despair among survivors, who believe that justice has not been served.
The 11 accused — Manveer, Subhash, Pippan, Narendra, Pramod, Vinod, Ram Kumar Sharma, Vijay Sharma, Ram Kishan, Rajendra, and Mohit — all residents of Lisad village under the jurisdiction of Fogana police station, were charged with rioting, arson and looting of Muslim homes in the village.
Plaintiff Zia-ul-Haq had filed an FIR at the Fogana police station naming these 11 men for allegedly leading a mob that looted and set fire to his home and several others in the village.
However, the prosecution, led by officer Narendra Sharma, failed to produce sufficient material in court. “Due to the lack of credible evidence and absence of reliable eyewitnesses, the court had no choice but to acquit the accused,” said defence lawyer Yogendra Sharma while speaking to reporters.
For survivors, however, the acquittal is another painful blow. Many say they have lost trust in the legal system. “Our homes were set on fire, everything was looted, our children were hungry. We gave names to the police. And now the court says there is no evidence?” asked 55-year-old Mohammad Shakir, whose house was destroyed in the riots.
Shakir, who now lives in a rented room in a nearby village, said many Muslim families left Lisad and never returned. “We live like refugees in our own country,” he said, his voice trembling.
Zia-ul-Haq, the main complainant, declined to speak in detail but told this reporter, “You saw what happened — the accused are free, but we are still prisoners of fear.”
Several activists and lawyers who have worked on riot-related cases say the acquittal reflects a broader failure in the justice system.
“Witnesses are threatened, many migrate or simply disappear. Police often deliberately weaken the case. This is not the first time riot-accused have walked free,” said advocate Saeed Ahmad, who has handled multiple cases related to the 2013 riots.
He added, “This case shows how the state machinery is used to protect the accused when the victims are poor and Muslim. Many of the witnesses were either too scared to testify or were forced to turn hostile.”
A local resident who did not want to be named said, “Many witnesses changed their statements. Some were told they’d be ‘dragged into trouble’ if they spoke. What can a poor man do?”
The Lisad case is not an isolated incident. In the last few years, dozens of cases related to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots have ended in acquittals. Activists claim that the majority of cases where Muslims were the complainants have either been dropped or the accused have been acquitted.
In September 2021, a special court acquitted 12 people in another riot-related case from the same district. Human rights groups say that out of over 500 riot-related cases filed, only a handful have led to convictions.
Despite the significance of the verdict, there has been no statement from any major political leader — neither from the ruling party nor the opposition. For many, this silence speaks volumes.
“Where are those who promise justice? Where are the people who talk about ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’?” asked Nafeesa, a 42-year-old woman whose brother was injured in the riots. “Nobody came to see how we live now — in broken houses, with broken hearts.”
Journalist and social commentator Imran Qureshi called the acquittal “another sign of institutional failure.” He said, “When the majority community commits violence and the state fails to prosecute, it sends a dangerous message to society — that Muslims are not safe and that justice is optional.”
The 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots were among the worst in recent memory in western Uttar Pradesh. The violence had begun after an alleged incident in Kawal, leading to a wave of communal tension that quickly spiralled out of control. Human Rights Watch and several Indian civil society groups had raised concerns over police inaction and political instigation.
Many Muslim families from villages like Lisad, Lank, and Mohammadpur Raisingh were targeted. Women spoke of how mobs had broken doors, shouted religious slurs, and set fire to everything they saw.
Abdul Rehman, a school teacher who fled Lisad during the riots, said: “We were not just attacked — we were marked. Our neighbours became our enemies. Even today, if we go back, the same hatred is in their eyes.”
With yet another acquittal, the survivors are left wondering what justice really means in India today. Many of them live in poor conditions, with no compensation or security.
Advocate Saeed Ahmad said, “The courts can only deliver justice if the police do their job honestly. In this case, it is clear that the police failed, the system failed, and the victims were abandoned.”
“Eleven men walked free, but what about the dozens of families whose homes were burnt? Who will give them justice?” he asked.
As survivors watched the news of the acquittal on their mobile phones, a deep silence hung in the narrow lanes of their resettlement camp.
“No one listens to us,” said 70-year-old Rahmat Ali. “We are Muslims, so we have to suffer — and stay silent.”
