25 booked under charges of gangrape during Muzaffarnagar communal violence

Muzaffarnagar: Twenty five persons accused of gang-rape during Muzaffarnagar riots have been booked under one more section which includes charges of gang-rape during communal or sectarian violence.

Investigation officer Mala Yadav has added section 376 (2) (g) (rape during communal or sectarian violence) of the IPC against 25 persons accused of six gang rape cases during last year's riots. The section was added after the Special Investigation Team, probing the riot cases, sought permission from the court here yesterday.

The case was not added earlier by the police which had booked the accused only under section 376 (d) of the IPC, SIT officials said. Seven gang-rape cases, one in Lank village and six in Phugana in the district, were registered by the police during riots.

One case of gang-rape in Phugana was closed due to lack of evidence. 18 out of the 25 accused have been arrested while remaining seven were absconding. Chief Judicial Magistrate Narender Kumar had summoned the accused who were arrested in this connection. The court has already initiated attachment proceedings against absconding accused of Phugana village.