<p>Thane: A court in Maharashtra's Thane has acquitted 11 persons accused in a 2009 case of rioting and attempted murder, citing lapses in the prosecution's evidence and failure to identify the actual aggressors.</p>.<p>Principal District and Sessions Judge S B Agrawal on Monday acquitted these residents of Wagle Estate in Thane city.</p>.<p>The case against them was registered at the Shrinagar police station here for the clash that took place on November 22, 2009 at Indiranagar in Wagle Estate area.</p>.<p>Prakash Kedarnath Bind and 10 others had been charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (grievous hurt), 147, 148, 143 (rioting and unlawful assembly) read with 149 (common object), and relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act.</p>.Over 3,000 Pocso cases recorded in Karnataka in 2023: NCRB .<p>According to the prosecution, the incident stemmed from a trivial neighbourhood dispute.</p>.<p>One Anil Gyanchand Gupta had objected to the accused tying a rope between an electric pole and his house grill to dry clothes, which caused dripping water to fall on a public bench installed by a local corporator.</p>.<p>The disagreement allegedly escalated into threats and a clash the next day. The prosecution claimed that the accused, armed with iron rods, aluminium strips and wooden planks, assaulted Gupta and his companions. A bystander, Yogendra Negi, was allegedly beaten severely and sustained head injuries, as per the case details.</p>.<p>The court, in its 75-page order, however, pointed out several inconsistencies and deficiencies in the prosecution's case.</p>.<p>The prosecution's failure to explain the injuries on the accused significantly weakens the prosecution's version, the court said, adding that identifying the initial aggressor was essential to determine culpability.</p>.<p>It also noted that no injury certificates for key witnesses were produced in court, and several important witnesses, including the recovery witness and the corporator who installed the bench, did not support the prosecution's version.</p>.<p>Judge Agrawal further remarked, "Since the alleged assault took place between 20 to 25 persons and the witnesses have failed to identify the assailants, it cannot be concluded beyond reasonable doubt that the accused persons were the aggressors or that they acted with a common object." The prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, it said, and acquitted all eleven accused. </p>
<p>Thane: A court in Maharashtra's Thane has acquitted 11 persons accused in a 2009 case of rioting and attempted murder, citing lapses in the prosecution's evidence and failure to identify the actual aggressors.</p>.<p>Principal District and Sessions Judge S B Agrawal on Monday acquitted these residents of Wagle Estate in Thane city.</p>.<p>The case against them was registered at the Shrinagar police station here for the clash that took place on November 22, 2009 at Indiranagar in Wagle Estate area.</p>.<p>Prakash Kedarnath Bind and 10 others had been charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (grievous hurt), 147, 148, 143 (rioting and unlawful assembly) read with 149 (common object), and relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act.</p>.Over 3,000 Pocso cases recorded in Karnataka in 2023: NCRB .<p>According to the prosecution, the incident stemmed from a trivial neighbourhood dispute.</p>.<p>One Anil Gyanchand Gupta had objected to the accused tying a rope between an electric pole and his house grill to dry clothes, which caused dripping water to fall on a public bench installed by a local corporator.</p>.<p>The disagreement allegedly escalated into threats and a clash the next day. The prosecution claimed that the accused, armed with iron rods, aluminium strips and wooden planks, assaulted Gupta and his companions. A bystander, Yogendra Negi, was allegedly beaten severely and sustained head injuries, as per the case details.</p>.<p>The court, in its 75-page order, however, pointed out several inconsistencies and deficiencies in the prosecution's case.</p>.<p>The prosecution's failure to explain the injuries on the accused significantly weakens the prosecution's version, the court said, adding that identifying the initial aggressor was essential to determine culpability.</p>.<p>It also noted that no injury certificates for key witnesses were produced in court, and several important witnesses, including the recovery witness and the corporator who installed the bench, did not support the prosecution's version.</p>.<p>Judge Agrawal further remarked, "Since the alleged assault took place between 20 to 25 persons and the witnesses have failed to identify the assailants, it cannot be concluded beyond reasonable doubt that the accused persons were the aggressors or that they acted with a common object." The prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, it said, and acquitted all eleven accused. </p>