Misery of Muzaffarnagar riot victims continue; more accusations of rape surface

    By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,

    Muzaffarnagar: The misery of riot victims of Muzaffarnagar and surrounding districts continue as about 70000 people still continue to live in relief camps, with little government support even after two weeks.

    To make the situations worse, forest department has now slapped cases against those in the Malakpur camp in Shamli on charges of encroachment. About 9000 people are still living in tent houses in this camp alone.



    According to Lucknow based civil rights group Rihai Manch (Forum for the Release of Innocent Muslims imprisoned in the name of Terrorism), forest official of Kairana Division Narendra Kumar has filed a case against thousands of Muslims living in this camp.

    What has been shocking is that although largely ignored by media as more and more civil society groups are meeting the victims and preparing the fact finding reports, accusations of rapes and gang rapes, often in front of the hapless relatives are surfacing.

    According to Rihai Manch fact finding team, Mukeem and Wasila from village Laakh alleged that their 12 year old daughter was raped and then cut into pieces and burnt by pouring acid on them. Earlier a fact finding report by ANHAD too had testimonies of gang rapes. According to Shabnam Hashmi of ANHAD an estimate 100 women have been raped.



    The fact finding team of Rihai Manch comprised of Asad Hayat of Awami Council for Democracy and Peace, Rajeev Yadav, Shahnawaz Alam, Lakshman Prasad and others of of Rihai Manch among others.

    Rajeev Yadav and Shahnawaz Alam, spokespersons for Rihai Manch, alleged that the united Jat solidarity above partisan politics worked in a well planned conspiracy against the Muslims in the riots.