SC agrees to hear PIL for CBI probe in Muzaffarnagar violence

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to give an urgent hearing to a Public Interest Litigation seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the communal violence in Muzaffarnagar and for ensuring safe passage to people stuck due to clashes.

A bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi, before whom the matter was mentioned, posted the hearing for Thursday. The PIL has been filed by Mohammed Haroon and others seeking court's direction to the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government to find out the reason behind the communal clashes in the state and to take immediate steps to control the violence.

The PIL also sought that the affected persons should be properly rehabilitated and the culprits behind the incident most be brought to book.

The petitioners alleged that houses of around 20,000 people have been burnt and they must be provided temporary shelter and food and medicines be also supplied to the affected families.

Image: The army conducts a flag march in violence-hit Muzaffarnagar

Photograph: Rediff Archives