UP: Circus owner, manager convicted for attacking Kailash Satyarthi, others in 2004

Gonda (UP): A court here has convicted two men for attacking Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi 20 years ago when he and others along with the police attempted to rescue minor girls working in a circus.

After convicting Raza Mohammad Khan, the owner of Great Roman Circus and its manager Shafi Khan, the court on Wednesday directed that both be released on good-conduct probation for a year, subject to the condition that they do not break the law in this period.

The court also ordered that a compensation of Rs 5,000 be paid to each of the four persons injured in the attack, said assistant district government counsel Avneesh Dhar Dwivedi.

The management of the circus attacked Satyarthi, the founder of 'Bachpan Bachao Andolan', his son Bhuvan, associate Ramakant Rai, Rakesh Singh and others in 2004 when they along with the police attempted to rescue minor girls working in the circus.

During the trial, Additional Sessions Judge Rajesh Narayan Mani Tripathi declared both the accused guilty, Dwivedi said.

The defence counsel argued that since the accused are now old, the circus was closed long ago and there was no criminal case against them, they should be released.

To this, the judge directed that both the accused be released on good-conduct probation for a year, subject to the condition that they do not break the law.

In a post on X, Satyarthi said, "After a 20-year-long humiliating and costly legal battle, the owner and manager of the infamous circus have been held guilty and convicted by the Gonda court."