Godhra train burning

Godhra train burning
Details
Date	27 February 2002 07:43 am
Location	Godhra, Gujarat
Country	India
Line	Godhra – Vadodara line
Operator	Western Railway
Incident type	Fire
Cause	Arson
Statistics
Trains	1
Deaths	58

The Godhra Train Burning was a pre-planned attack by an Islamist mob that occurred on the morning of the 27th of February, 2002, in which 58 people were burnt to death in a fire inside the Sabarmati Express train near the Godhra railway station in the Indian state of Gujarat. All of the people killed were Hindu pilgrims and activists who were returning from the holy city of Ayodhya. Investigations and court rulings on the case later established that the fire was caused by arson by radical Islamist mobs and 31 people were convicted for the crime.

This incident triggered communal Hindu-Muslim riots in Gujarat, resulting in deaths of 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus as well as widespread loss of property and homelessness.

Riot history

Godhra has a long history of riots between the Hindu and Muslim communities going all the way back to Partition. In 1980, five Hindus, including two children, were killed in the Signal Falia neighbourhood near Godhra Railway yard. On 28 November 1990, four Hindu teachers at the Vorwad Saphia Madrasa School, including two women, were killed.

Attack

On the 27th of February, the Sabarmati Express made its scheduled stop at Godhra about 4 hours late, at 7:43 am. As it started leaving the platform, the emergency brake was engaged by members of the mob, bringing the train to a halt. The coupling between the bogies S-6 and S-7 was subsequently cut and the doors of the bogeys were locked from outside, preventing the kar Sevak from escaping. The bogeys were then set on fire. While the passengers in S-7 managed to extinguish the flames and get out of the compartment, those trapped in S-6 were unable to escape and were burnt to death. The occupants of S-7 were then confronted by the violent mob outside and some were killed. The whole attack lasted about 25 minutes.

A few hours later, at 11:00 am on 27 February 2002, Sabarmati Express passengers and police were attacked for a second time near line number 10 of Godhra railway yard. As a result, seven policemen were injured. Two people were killed in police firing.

Role of local government and police

The train was attacked within the premises of Godhra railway yard. At the time of the attack, 14 policemen were on duty at the yard. The Railway Police Station is about 826 metres away from the location of the attack. Three Railway Police Force Constables were the first to reach the train.

Firefighter Sureshgiri Gosai testified that Municipal Councilor Haji Bilal ordered the mob to stop the Fire engine. He further added that while they were trying to extinguish the fire, stones were pelted on the train. The first response team of Godhra Police Mobile Van testified that Municipal President Mohamad Kalota and municipal councillor Haji Bilal were part of the mob and were inciting them.

Inquiries

Justice Tewatia’s Inquiry Commission in April 2002 established that the attack on the Sabarmati Express was preplanned and premeditated. The fire fighting system available in Godhra was weakened and its arrival at the place of incident willfully delayed by the mob with the open participation of a Congress Councillor, Haji Balal. The primary objective was to create Hindu-Muslim communal conflagration in India and cause unrest. The report concluded that the attack constituted a "concerted effort by jehadi forces to slow down ever-increasing importance of India in the world affairs." attributing this to the " unusual growth rate of Muslim population in Godhra" and also to the fact that "large number of unemployed Muslims in Godhra have mobile phones"

In September 2004, a one-member committee appointed by the Railway Ministry then headed by Lalu Prasad Yadav and consisting of former Supreme Court Justice Umesh Chandra Banerjee to probe the Godhra train fire, concluded that the fire was accidental. Its findings were challenged by Neelkanth Tulsidas Bhatia who was injured in Godhra carnage. In October 2006, the Gujarat High Court ruled that the panel was "unconstitutional, illegal and null and void", and declared its formation as a "colourable exercise of power with mala fide intentions".

On 6 March 2002, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi set up the Nanavati commission which investigated the violence and absolved him from any direct involvement in post train killing mayhem

Trial court verdict and reactions

On 22 February 2011, the trial court convicted 31 Muslims of the attack and acquitted 63 Muslims. The court noted that the incident was a conspiracy and convicted the 31 Muslims under Indian Penal Code Sections 302 and 120 B

BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain stated, "The theory propagated by the (central) government and some NGOs (Non-Governmental Organization) has been proved wrong...." Congress spokesperson declined to comment on Godhra verdict.

See also

• Religious violence in India
• Dabgarwad Massacre
• 2002 Gujarat violence
• Best Bakery case