Muzaffarnagar, Nov. 6 -- A local court has acquitted five persons in a case related to vandalism and arson at a mosque during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, citing lack of evidence, a lawyer said on Friday.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Vijay Kumar acquitted Anuj, Arvind, Nitu, Ankit and Ramkumar on Thursday, observing that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against them, government counsel Narendra Sharma said.

According to Sharma, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had filed a charge sheet against the five accused after investigating the incident that took place on September 8, 2013, in Muthbhar village under the Bhorakala police station limits.

The accused were charged with vandalising and setting the mosque o...