In a move that might expedite further
investigations in the Godhra carnage, officials
have detained two persons, who
reportedly stopped the Sarbarmati Express on February 27.
The duo was reportedly working for Abdul Razzak Mohammed Kurkur, allegedly the prime accused of the gruesome incident. Though officials at GRP and CID crime refuse to divulge any information about the detained persons, sources informed that both the miscreants were experts in stopping the train without boarding it. Sources said the miscreants were detained last week.
It may be recalled that on February 27, Sabarmati Express was stopped twice. "First time it was stopped on the platform itself by the passengers. But after the train left the platform it was stopped by the miscreants who were part of the core team," a senior investigating official while requesting anonymity said.
The official told The Asian Age that the formal procedure to lodge FIR against the two miscreants is on. The officials said, " At this stage of investigation it would be difficult to reveal the identity of two persons but they were part of the core team and they had played an important role in torching the coaches."
According to information, the technique to stop the train without even boarding the train was used by some of the criminals at the Godhra Railway station.
While the technique is mostly used for petty crimes like luggage theft and chain snatching, here it was used for serious crime of killing 58 passengers.
Technical officials at Western Railway Baroda division informed that for those who are acquainted with the tech nical parts of train this is an easy job. "One can stop the train by moving the ‘clapet valve’ which is located at the end of the coach."
Officials from both RPF and Godhra town police admitted that many criminals wanted in different cases for crimes committed on Godhra platform are living in Signal Faliya and reportedly were working for Razzak Kurkur, the prime accused.
RPF commandant S.N. Pandey told The Asian Age that the possibilities of such criminals can not be overruled. He said, "According to data available with us, there are 60 nonbailable pending warrants against such criminals. They were involved in luggage theft, chain snatching and other such crimes."
He added that such criminals are
aware of the functioning of the train and are acquainted with the geography
of the platform as well and thus it was easy for them to stop the train.
He added, "As far as their role in Sabarmati Express incident is concerned,
it will be ascertained by the investigating officials only."