Jaipur, Aug 5 A special SC/ST court in Rajasthan's Nagaur district on Wednesday acquitted all the 40 accused in the 2015 Dangawas massacre case, in which five Dalits were killed over a land dispute.
Special Judge Ashish Bijaraniya of the court in Merta pronounced the verdict in the 11-year-old case related to the dispute over 23 bighas of land in Dangawas village.
On May 14, 2015, violence erupted between two groups over the land dispute, resulting in the death of Ratanram Meghwal, Pokharram Meghwal, Pancharam Meghwal, Khemaram Meghwal and Ganpatram Meghwal.
Another person, Rampal Gosai from the other side, was also killed. Three of the victims were allegedly run over by a tractor.
The investigation into the case was handed over to the CBI.
Reacting to the acquittal, complainant Govind Meghwal questioned the outcome and said the victims' side would challenge the order in the high court.
"If all the accused have been acquitted, then who killed our five people? We will move the high court," he said.
Defence counsel Mahendra Chaudhary said the dispute stemmed from a land transaction in which the buyer had not completed the mutation in his name, leading to the conflict over possession.
He alleged that certain aspects were not considered during the probe.
The incident escalated when attempts were made to resolve the dispute, which led to violence, he said.
The lawyer also contended that the accused were not directly involved in the incident.
