Over ten Panderwada victims remain unidentified in DNA report

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Ahmedabad, Dec 6 (UNI) The tests conducted by a Hyderabad-based laboratory on the skeletal remains found in a mass grave near Lunawada village have led to the identification of nine of the 21 or 22 victims, whose remains were allegedly found buried.

''Remains of only nine Panderwada victims have matched with the relatives. Over ten dead remain unidentified and this is a serious issue,'' said Teesta Setalvad, secretary of the Citizens for Justice and Peace.

She said the Gujarat government must come forward to state its stance on the unidentified bodies. ''We will take up the issue in the court as well,'' she told reporters here today.

Giving details of the report of the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), she said blood samples of 57 people (relatives of the victims) had been collected and were matched with the skeletal remains found. ''The CDFD found that there were remains of 21 or 22 individuals, of whom nine matched with relatives of the disappeared people and could be identified,'' she said.

Ms Teesta's organisation had helped some of the relatives of the massacre victims to file petitions in the Gujarat High Court.

The matter came up for hearing in the Court today on the report submitted by the CBI. As Ms Teesta submitted that she wanted to file a reply on it, Justice Kalpesh Jhaveri posted the next hearing for Friday.

Those who have been identified are Salim Sheikh, Abdul Abbas Syed, Majid Abdul Syed, Faikr Mohd Sheikh, Javed D Sheikh, Abbas Nathu Sheikh, Habib Ashraf Sheikh, Dulhan bibi Ahsraf Sheikh and Bismillah, said Mohd Rasool, a relative of the victims.

He said the families were all keen to take possession of the remains and give their dead ones a decent burial. ''This depends on the Court,'' he said.

Mass graves were unearthed in Pandharwada near Panam river in Panchmahals district on December 27 last year.

Ameena Rasool, whose son was killed in the Pandarwada massacre, had filed a petition praying for transfer of probe to the CBI, which the High Court granted.

Also speaking at the press conference, Ameena bibi alleged that Police had been harassing her and her relatives for pursuing the case. ''We are victims, but we are being chased by the police as though we were criminals,'' she cried.

UNI MMG GB SI VC1833

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