Telangana communal violence: 14 years later, court acquits all 24 accused
A local court in Telangana’s Adilabad district on Wednesday struck down the case against the accused in connection with the communal riots that broke out in Bhainsa town of Nirmal district 14 years ago, in which three persons were killed.
A local court in Telangana’s Adilabad district on Wednesday struck down the case against the accused in connection with the communal riots that broke out in Bhainsa town of Nirmal district 14 years ago, in which three persons were killed.
Principal judge of Adilabad court Madhavi Krishna pronounced the judgement saying the case was being dismissed and all the 24 accused in the case were being acquitted, as the prosecution had failed to furnish proper evidence to prove the charges.
Advising the accused “to behave with good conduct in the society”, the judge warned them against indulging in any kind of communal violence in the future.
Senior advocate Mohammad Ghouse Siddiqui, who argued the case on behalf of 18 Muslim accused in the case, said, “the police had filed charge sheet in the case in 2012, four years after the incident took place”.
“The police had filed the case under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (violence using weapons) and 149 (unlawful assembly to commit an offence), besides 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code, they could not prove the charges,” Siddiqui said.
All the 24 accused were released on bail within three months of the incident, as the police had failed to filed the charge sheet in the stipulated time, the lawyer said.
The incident happened on October 10, 2008, during which three people were killed and 15 others were injured in the communal riots and subsequent police firing in Bhainsa town, which was then a part of the combined Adilabad district.
The violence broke out during the immersion procession of Durga idols, which was being taken out at the time of Friday prayers. One group had claimed that the participants in the procession had pelted stones at a place of worship, however, the other group alleged that stones were pelted at the procession from the place of worship.
During the riots, the miscreants also looted and set afire 40 shops and 12 vehicles. The police had resorted to caned clashing groups and when this failed to have any effect, the cops opened fire in the air.
Police officials at that time had said that after firing 35 rounds in the air, the situation was brought under control. A curfew was also imposed for a week to restore normalcy in the area.