Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 11: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra government to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) with senior Hindu and Muslim officers to probe the May 2023 communal riots in Akola, where one person was killed and eight others, including two policemen, were injured after a clash over a social media post.

A bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Alok Aradhe pulled up the state police for a “biased” probe, stating, “A person after donning the police uniform must rise above all kinds of bias, including religion and caste, and discharge duty as per the law.”

The order came on a plea by 17-year-old Mohd Afzal Mohd Sharif, who alleged that despite his serious injuries during the violence, the police failed to register a case or investigate the assault. His earlier petition was dismissed by the Bombay High Court on July 25, 2024.

Acting on the teen’s appeal, the apex court instructed the Maharashtra Home Secretary to constitute the SIT and ensure a fair investigation into the riots and the alleged police inaction.