UP court acquits 45 persons in 27-year-old rioting case

A court here has acquitted 45 individuals in a 27-year-old case of rioting, which claimed the life of a police gunner, due to lack of evidence. The violence took place on January 9, 1998, when hundreds of people protested demanding the arrest of those responsible for allegedly assaulting the Imam of a mosque in Laxmipurwa area of Kanpur and disrupting the district's power supply.

The fast track court's recent decision to acquit all 45 accused came after the prosecution failed to present a strong case against the undertrials, according to defense counsel Shakeel Ahmad Bundel who represented 24 of the 77 accused in the case.

Bundel said all the 45 accused were out on bail prior to the court's verdict.


While the court acquitted the accused in the rioting case, it sentenced four individuals to three years in prison under the Arms Act.

Government counsel Rajendra Uttam said that all four convicts were granted bail, as their sentence was less than three years.

Defense counsel Bundel provided details about the events leading to the riot.

He said that the violent incident occurred on January 9, 1998, when hundreds of people took to the streets, demanding the arrest of those responsible for assaulting the Imam of a mosque in Laxmipurwa, and disrupting the district's power supply.

The protesters gathered at Halim College Crossing. The agitation spread to nearby areas such as Chamanganj and Raipurwa, with protest meetings held on the streets.

The situation took a tragic turn when the then superintendent of police Ashok Kumar arrived at the protest site. During the unrest, his gunner, police constable Kunwar Pal Singh, was shot in the forehead who later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Several people were also injured in the violence.

An FIR was filed and 77 individuals were charged in connection with the riot. Over the years, 13 of the accused died and the cases of two others were separated from the rest.

A detailed judgment in the case is expected to be made available by Monday.

Meraj Khan, a driver and one of the acquitted individuals, expressed relief and happiness following the court's verdict. "We were all innocent, and it has been proven before the court. Justice has been done," he said, adding his family members suffered a lot over the past 27 years.