The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file a response within two weeks regarding the long-pending cases arising from the 1994 Rampur Tiraha firing incident, in which several Uttarakhand statehood activists lost their lives and women were allegedly subjected to sexual violence.
Hearing a petition highlighting the complete lack of progress in six criminal cases linked to the incident, Justice Pankaj Purohit sought an update on their current status and jurisdiction. The petitioner contended that even after three decades, no effective hearings have been conducted.
According to the plea, the six cases were transferred to the Muzaffarnagar court based on a communication from the Registrar General of the High Court to the District Judge. However, the cases have remained stagnant since, with no hearings being held. The petitioner has urged the court to issue directions for early proceedings in these matters.
The Rampur Tiraha incident occurred on October 2, 1994, during the Uttarakhand statehood movement. Protesters travelling from Rishikesh to Delhi were stopped at Rampur Tiraha in Muzaffarnagar, where police allegedly opened fire, resulting in the deaths of seven activists. Multiple allegations of molestation and rape of women protesters also surfaced in the aftermath.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered cases against several officials, including then Muzaffarnagar District Magistrate Anant Kumar Singh and seven others, but the trials have not progressed since being handed over to the Muzaffarnagar court.
Uttarakhand, formerly part of Uttar Pradesh, was granted statehood on November 9, 2000. The continued delay in judicial proceedings related to one of the most traumatic episodes in the region’s political history has raised serious concerns about justice for the victims and accountability of state authorities.
The High Court’s directive to the UP government marks a fresh attempt to revive these long-forgotten cases. The matter will be heard next after the state files its reply.
