Hindus found guilty over deadly 2002 anti-Muslim riots

An Indian court on Wednesday (November 9, 2011) found 31 Hindus guilty of killing 33 Muslims in a single house during religious riots in the state of Gujarat in 2002, provoking a mixed response from activists.

In some of India’s worst inter-faith violence since independence in 1947, about 2,000 people died in a wave of anti-Muslim unrest.

“Out of the 73 accused, 31 are guilty and 42 are acquitted of all charges,” judge S.C. Srivastava told the special court near Sardarpura village, where the 33 Muslims sought shelter in a small house on the night of February 28, 2002.

Attacks increasing on Muslims since Diwali

On November 8, 2011 around 11:30 pm two different incidents of attacks on Muslim youths occurred in Hyderabad in which three youths were seriously injured. “The attacks were carried by suspected RSS elements. The type of attack was similar and the Muslim youths were attacked with Kamma Kattis on the head and neck.The similar types of attacks are going on since Diwali on Muslims. First the attacks took place in the outskirts of Hyderabad under Cyberabad Police limits, particularly on Ibrahimpatnam Road under Vanasthalipurum Police Station limits.The matter was brought to the notice of Dinesh Reddy (Director General of Police, Andhra Pradesh), S A Huda (Addl.DGP (L&O) and Tirmal Rao Commissioner of Police Cyberabad by Majlish Bachao Tahreek (MBT). After strict vigilance by Cyberabad Police attacks were stopped but the culprits have not been identified in previous cases and caught,” said Azampura Division Corporator Amjed Ullah Khan.