{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Merta Court Acquits All 40 Accused in 2015 Nagaur Caste Violence Case Citing Insufficient Evidence",
  "summary": "A special SC/ST court in Merta, Rajasthan has acquitted all 40 people accused in the 2015 Dangawas land dispute clash that killed six people. While acquitted families celebrated the decision after 11 years, the victims' side announced plans to challenge the ruling in the High Court.",
  "content": "In a long-awaited judicial outcome following an eleven-year legal process, the Special SC/ST Court in Merta, located within Rajasthan's Nagaur district, has acquitted all forty individuals accused in the high-profile 2015 Dangawas violence case. Presiding Judge Ashish Bijarnia delivered the judgment after examining the comprehensive evidence on record, concluding that the prosecution failed to establish criminal culpability against the defendants due to a fundamental lack of substantiating proof.\n\nFatal Clash Over 23 Bighas of Land\nThe origin of the case dates back to May 14, 2015, in Dangawas village of Nagaur district, where a bitter confrontation erupted between two groups over the physical possession and title of a 23-bigha agricultural land parcel. The conflict rapidly degenerated into lethal violence, taking the lives of six people. Five men from the Dalit community—identified as Ratanram Meghwal, Pokharram Meghwal, Pancharam Meghwal, Khemaram Meghwal, and Ganpatram Meghwal—were killed during the assault. Reports at the time stated that three of the Dalit victims were crushed under a moving tractor. Concurrently, Rampal Gosain from the opposing faction died after sustaining gunshot injuries during the clash.\n\nThe intense loss of life in Dangawas sparked widespread political friction and civil outrage across Rajasthan. In response to mounting public pressure for an independent investigation, the case was formally transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).\n\nEvidentiary Flaws and Witness Testimony Issues\nThroughout the extended trial at the Merta Special Court, prosecutors presented testimony from 82 witnesses, while the complainant side brought 8 additional witnesses to substantiate the allegations. Despite testimonies from 90 witnesses over eleven years, the majority failed to positively identify the accused individuals in court. The court noted that the investigative submissions compiled by the CBI were inadequate to establish direct liability.\n\n Defense counsel stated, \"The court found that the CBI failed to conduct its investigation properly and the prosecution could not prove charges against any accused.\"\nFollowing the ruling, defense lawyers Kamal Acharya, Mahipal Latiyal, Mahendra Choudhary, and Babulal Gora briefed reporters outside the court, hailing the judgment as a triumph of objective evidence. Defense attorney Mahendra Choudhary clarified that the original dispute arose from a land transaction where the buyer did not finalize the mutation entry in revenue records, triggering contested possession claims. He asserted that the CBI overlooked critical parameters during its inquiry and that the named individuals had no direct involvement in the violence.\n\nReactions Split Between Village Celebrations and Planned High Court Appeal\nThe acquittal was met with relief in Dangawas village, where residents gathered to mark the end of an eleven-year legal saga by sharing traditional sweets. Families of the exonerated individuals expressed deep gratitude, and the decision remained a major focal point of discussion across Nagaur district throughout the day.\n\nIn sharp contrast, the judgment caused profound grief and disappointment among the families of the deceased victims. Representing the victimized families, Govind Meghwal strongly questioned the outcome of the trial.\n\n Govind Meghwal said, \"If everyone is acquitted, then who killed our five people, we will move the High Court against this verdict.\"\nThe victim side affirmed that they will promptly move the Rajasthan High Court to appeal the acquittal order.\n\nWhat this means for you\n• Across India: This judgment highlights the judicial emphasis on conclusive proof in caste conflict cases, showing how gaps in agency probes and witness identification lead to exoneration.\n• In Rajasthan & Nagaur: The acquittal brings closure to forty families in Dangawas village after eleven years, while the victim side's decision to appeal ensures the legal struggle continues in the High Court.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. What is the Dangawas case and when did it occur?\nThe Dangawas case relates to a violent confrontation on May 14, 2015, over 23 bighas of land in Dangawas village, Nagaur district, Rajasthan, which resulted in six deaths.\n\n2. What verdict did the Merta SC/ST court deliver?\nAfter an eleven-year trial, the Special SC/ST Court in Merta acquitted all 40 accused individuals citing a lack of solid evidence presented by the prosecution.\n\n3. Why were all forty accused acquitted by the court?\nThe court noted that most of the 90 witnesses presented failed to identify the accused in court, and the CBI investigation lacked conclusive proof linking the defendants to the crime.\n\n4. How has the victim side responded to the acquittal?\nGovind Meghwal, speaking for the victims' families, questioned who was responsible for the five deaths if everyone was acquitted, announcing plans to appeal the verdict in the Rajasthan High Court.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/rajasthan/nagaur-ke-charchita-dangawas-jamina-vivada-hinsa-mamale-men-merta-adalata-ne-sakshya-ke-abhava-men-sabhi-40-aropiyon-ko-bari-kiya-14250",
  "category": "Rajasthan",
  "publishedAt": "2026-08-06",
  "tags": [
    "Dangawas Case",
    "Nagaur News",
    "Merta Court",
    "Rajasthan News",
    "CBI Probe",
    "SC ST Court Verdict"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}