A court in Gujarat has acquitted all 26 persons accused of gangrape and murder of more than a dozen members of a minority community in separate incidents in Kalol during communal riots in 2002, for want of evidence in the 20-year-old case.

Of the total 39 accused, 13 died during the case pendency and the trial against them was abated. The court of Additional Sessions Judge Leelabhai Chudasama at Halol in Panchmahal district on Friday acquitted 26 persons for the offences of murder, gangrape and rioting for want of evidence.