AMN /
Justice Vishnu Sahai inquiry commission that was constituted to probe the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots has given a clean chit to the Uttar Pradesh government. Communal violance claimed more than 60 lives and over 50,000 displaced. The report,tabled in the state Assembly today blamed local officials for mishandling the situation which aggravated the riots.
The report further said that there was a failure of local intelligence. The report says that the transfer of district magistrate and superintendent of police (SSP) Muzaffanagar also had an impact.
The commission was initially asked to submit its report in two months but it was later given several extensions. The Justice Sahai commission was formed to look into administrative lapses in controlling the violence and role played by media as well as politicians in flaring up the riots.
The state government had constituted the commission headed by the retired judge of Allahabad High Court on September 9, 2013, days after riots had taken place in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli. The state government had also formed a Special Investigating Team on September 24, 2013. The SIT has already submitted its investigation report in all the cases barring nine that are still pending.