An NIA court found 28 people guilty of murder related to the 2018 Kasganj Tiranga Yatra. The case drew national attention after Chandan Gupta’s death, which led to communal riots in the area. The incident showed the rising tensions around the rally and its consequences.
Lucknow: A special NIA court convicted 28 individuals in the murder case of Chandan Gupta, who was shot during a communal clash that erupted during a Tiranga Yatra in Kasganj in 2018.
Special judge Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi announced that sentencing will occur on Friday. The convicted were found guilty of various charges, including murder, attempted murder, rioting, and disrespecting the national flag.
The case gathered notable attention following Gupta’s death, which ignited riots in the area.
The court acquitted Nasiruddin and Asim Qureshi due to insufficient evidence against them. On January 26, 2018, during the Tiranga Yatra, Gupta and his brother Vivek were confronted by a group led by Salim, Wasim, and Naseem, who allegedly obstructed the procession.
When Chandan objected, the situation escalated into stone-pelting, and Salim shot Chandan. Despite being rushed to the Kasganj police station and then to a district hospital, he was pronounced dead shortly after.
Chandan’s father, Sushil Gupta, filed a murder complaint after the incident, which incited three days of riots in Kasganj, aggravating communal tensions. The Kasganj Sessions Court initially framed charges against 23 individuals in September 2019, with additional charges against seven more in November.
The charges included various sections of the Indian Penal Code related to rioting, attempted murder, and insult to the national flag. The trial was later moved to a court in Lucknow.
Following the convictions, Sushil Gupta expressed confidence in the judicial system, stating,
“We have full faith in the court, and we will be satisfied with whatever verdict is given.”
However, he expressed disappointment regarding unfulfilled promises from political leaders, including the establishment of a square in Chandan’s name and a government job for a family member.
He added,
“My son is getting justice from the court, but the government leaders have failed to deliver on their promises,”
Of the 28 convicted, 26 were present in court, while Munajir Rafi appeared via video link from jail. An arrest warrant was issued for Salim, who did not attend the proceedings. The accused were remanded into judicial custody and sent to jail, with several also facing charges under the Arms Act for weapon possession during the incident.
The prosecution presented 18 witnesses, while the defense called 23.
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The Kasganj Tiranga Yatra is an important event in Kasganj, a district in Uttar Pradesh. It is usually connected with patriotic activities where people carry the Indian national flag (Tiranga) to celebrate and promote unity, especially on days like Independence Day or Republic Day.
However, the Kasganj Tiranga Yatra is also remembered for a sad incident that happened on January 26, 2018, during Republic Day celebrations. A clash broke out when a group, reportedly from one community, took out a flag procession through an area mostly populated by another community.
This led to violence, resulting in the death of a young man named Chandan Gupta and injuries to others. This incident remains a painful chapter in Kasganj’s history.