New Delhi : The Supreme Court of India granted bail to ten members of the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), convicted by the Delhi High Court for their involvement in the 1987 Hashimpura massacre.
A bench comprising Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice A.G. Masih ordered the release of the convicts, citing their imprisonment for over six years since November 2018. The bench directed that the convicts—Sami Ullah, Niranjan Lal, Mahesh Prasad, Jaipal Singh, Suresh Chand Sharma, Ram Dhyan, Hambir Singh, Kunwar Pal Singh, Budha Singh, and Mohkam Singh—be presented before the Trial Court within a week to execute bail bonds.
Senior Advocate Amit Anand Tiwari, representing the convicts, argued that the incident occurred over 35 years ago, in 1987. He further contended that the Delhi High Court, in October 2018, erroneously overturned the trial court’s initial acquittals.
Background of the Case
The Hashimpura massacre is considered one of the darkest chapters of communal violence in India. On May 22, 1987, amidst communal riots in Meerut, approximately 42 to 45 Muslim men were allegedly abducted by PAC personnel from the Hashimpura locality. It was alleged that later that night, around 35 of them were killed, and their bodies were dumped in a canal.
The case saw prolonged legal proceedings, with the accused initially acquitted by a trial court. However, in 2018, the Delhi High Court reversed these acquittals and convicted the accused of the killings.
The Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail has reignited conversations about justice and accountability in cases of communal violence, even as the families of the victims continue their decades-long quest for closure.
This development is expected to spark widespread reactions from across the legal and political spectrum, as the Hashimpura massacre remains a poignant reminder of the need for systemic reforms to ensure justice in cases of mass violence.
