Jan
24
Godhra train fire not caused by mobs
January 24, 2005 | Comments Off on Godhra train fire not caused by mobs
An independent panel of engineers has concluded that it is “highly unlikely” that the February 2002 Godhra train fire began from outside, contradicting the Modi government’s official account that the fire began from Muslim mobs outside the train throwing flammable liquid.
The report was prepared by a group of experts who reviewed physical evidence, testimony, and medical records of victims. Their findings support those of the Justice U.C. Banerjee committee, whose interim report on Godhra was handed over to the Railway Board on January 17.
Justice Banerjee said that according to eyewitness accounts people had been cooking in the carriage at the time it caught fire.
He said the railway authorities had “pre-judged” the incident, and criticised them for not conducting a thorough inquiry.
Fifty-eight passengers, many of them activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, died in the tragedy, which the Gujarat Government and police say was the result of a pre-planned conspiracy involving dozens of people. At present, more than 100 individuals from Godhra have been arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and charged with involvement in the case.
About 75 of them remain on remand awaiting trial. No one has been convicted over the train fire.
After the pogroms that followed the train fire, Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party government were criticized for state planning of the massacres.
Both Gujarat’s inspector-general of police, Rakesh Asthana, and the BJP quickly dismissed the inquiry findings.
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