State committee submits report on Saharanpur riots, panned by opposition leaders

A five-member state committee report was submitted to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today, which sought to probe the reasons for the Saharanpur riots.

The report has blamed the local administration for a lapse in controlling the riots initially. It also mentions BJP MP Raghav Lakhan's name, blaming him for allegedly inciting the violence.

Opposition leaders, however, panned the report saying that the ultimate accountability lay with the state government.

"UP government may say it's local administration's fault, but ultimate accountability is of the state government," said Akhilesh Pratap of the Congress party.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also stated, "It's an irony that the perpetrators of the Saharanpur riots are trying to be the judge, we reject the report."

Senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi also demanded strict action against the perpetrators of violence.

He said, "Strict action be taken against those at fault, be it an officer or anyone belonging to any party."

Naresh Agarwal of the ruling Samajwadi Party, however, said, "FIR must be lodged against officials at fault and strict action be taken."

Violence had erupted in Saharanpur after two groups reportedly clashed over a patch of disputed land close to the city's railway station, which led to three deaths.

Nine FIRs had been filed and 38 people were arrested post the clashes, according to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Saharanpur, Rajesh Kumar Pandey. A major curfew was also imposed all over the city.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had subsequently ordered an inquiry into the riots.