Muzaffarnagar riots: BJP MLA Vikram Saini, others appear in court

BJP MLA Vikram Saini and others appeared in a special court here on Friday for their alleged role in violence during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.

But the statement of the witness from the prosecution side against the accused could not be recorded as the judge was on leave, and hearing was adjourned till April 14.

Saini, the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Khataul and 27 others are facing trial in an attempt-to-murder case.

The violence took place when a crowd, who were returning after cremation of two youths, turned violent, damaging properties and setting houses on fire at Kawal village.

The killing of the two youths and that of another in a separate incident are said to be the trigger behind the communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas in August and September 2013, which claimed 60 lives and displaced over 40,000 people.

Saini was also booked under the National Security Act.