Godhra again: Arrests spark riot

Author: Leena Misra
Publication: The Times of India
Date: February 18, 2004
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/504185.cms

Riots broke out in Godhra town on Wednesday afternoon when the Special Investigating Team conducted a combing operation to nab some of the key accused in the Sabarmati Express carnage of February 27, 2002.

At least one police sub-inspector and two residents were injured in the violence. According to sources the people of Saatpul Odha where the combing was going on, began to stone the SIT and the police resorted to firing and lobbing tear gas shells to quell the mob.
 
Sources said that violence broke out when officials of the SIT probing the train burning incident had arrived in the town after receiving information that one of the key accused in the incident Salim Badam and Salim Paanwala were holed up in this locality.
 
As soon as the police entered Saatpul Odha, one of the more sensitive areas of Godhra, stone pelting started. Till early evening the violence was still on. Officials feared that more people may be injured in the incident. Badam is believed to have escaped in the melee.
 
Interestingly, some three days back, there had been a major scuffle in this communally-sensitive town when some people from the minority community beat up a police informer. Since then the area had been in the grip of tension.
 
It has been nearly two years since the Paan-wala has been absconding. He is alleged to have played a key role in inciting the mobs on the railway platform and pulling the chain of S-6 coach which was later set ablaze.
 

Back                          Top