Lucknow, Jan 1: Victims of Muzaffarnagar riots from Muslim and Jat community on Sunday agreed to withdraw cases against each other in connection with the 2013 violence in the district. Muslims and Jats called a truce five days after leaders of both the communities met former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and urged him to use his influence for a compromise.
Victims of Muslim and Jat community from the villages, Kutba, Kutbi, Purbaliyan, Kakda, Hadoli, which were the worst affected during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, agreed to take back cases, reports Times of India. As many as 29 cases in these five villages will be withdrawn as a result of the compromise. Around 1,400 people from the region were booked under various cases during the riots.
On December 26, a meeting was held at Mulayam Singh Yadav’s residence in Delhi, which was attended by more than 100 Muslims from Muzaffarnagar, including riot victims, and many Jat leaders. After the meeting, a committee was formed to work out resolution of these cases and bring back peace in Muzaffarnagar. Ompal Nehra, a former cabinet minister in the Akhilesh Yadav government, was chosen to head the committee.
“As decided at Mulayam Singh’s house in Delhi, people from five worst riot-hit villages agreed for a compromise on Sunday. Now, the residents will submit affidavits in courts on the next hearing. This compromise will lead to settlement of more cases in the region following years of unrest,” one of the prominent Jat leaders, Vipin Balian was quoted as saying.
“I was at Mulayam Singh Yadav’s house too. Vipin Balian had invited me. Many other Jat and Muslim leaders who want peace in the region were also present there. I agree with their compromise formula,” Mohammad Hassan, a riot victim from Kutba village who lost his mother in the riot, told the newspaper. 63 people were killed and more than 50,000 displaced during Muzaffarnagar riots four years ago.
