Godhra train carnage judgement tomorrow

Ahmedabad, Feb 21 (PTI) Nine years after torching ofthe Sabarmati Express near Godhra station that left 58 peopledead, a Special Court here is set to deliver tomorrow itsjudgement against 94 accused in the carnage that had triggeredwidespread communal riots in Gujarat.

Designated Judge P R Patel, who had completed hearingarguments of the prosecution and defence in September lastyear, will pronounce the judgement in the sensitive case.

After completion of the hearing, the verdict could notbe delivered in view of a Supreme Court stay, which was liftedon October 26, 2010.

The trial, conducted inside the Sabarmati Central Jailhere, began in June 2009 with the framing of charges against94 accused, who are in the high-security prison since 2002.

The accused have been charged with criminal conspiracyand murder in burning of the S-6 coach of the train onFebruary 27, 2002 near Godhra, about 125 km from here. Most ofthe deceased were karsevaks returning from Ayodhya.

Following the incident, widespread communal riotsbroke out in various parts of the state in which over 1,000people, mostly from the minority community, were killed.

As many as 253 witnesses were examined during thetrial and over 1500 documentary evidences were presentedbefore the court by the Gujarat police.

Initially there were 107 accused, of which five diedduring the pendency of the case, while eight others werejuveniles, who were tried by a separate court.

Police have made elaborate security arrangements tomaintain peace after judgement is pronounced. (more) PTI PDRSY