High security alert for fifth anniversary of Godhra carnage tomorrow

Godhra, Feb 26 (UNI) Security personnel were put on high alert in and around the communally sensitive Godhra town on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the Sabarmati train massacre.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which has been observing the day as 'Balidan Divas' for the last five years, will be holding a couple of programmes tomorrow to pay homage to the 59 victims of the carnage.

According to VHP general secretary Sambhu Prasad Shukla, in the morning, about 150 activists and leaders of VHP and BJP would march in a peaceful motor-cycle procession from the Chachar Chowk Laxmi temple to the burnt S-6 coach at Godhra station to offer floral tributes to the departed souls.

Over 10,000 people, including Godhra BJP MLA Haresh Bhatt, were expected to attend a special prayer meeting scheduled to be held at Prabhat Kunj in the evening, he said.

Stating that there was absolutely no communal tension in the town, Panchmahals district superintendent of police J K Bhatt said adequate security measures had however been taken to avert any untoward incident.

The communally sensitive town had not reported any violence in the last two years, Mr Bhatt added.

Official sources said the VHP activists would be allowed only upto a particular place near the burnt coach as it was still under the custody of the POTA Court which was hearing the Godhra train carnage.

It may be recalled that 59 people, mostly Kar Sevaks were burnt to death when a MoB allegedly attacked and set ablaze the S-6 coach of the Ahmedabad-bound Sabarmati Express at Godhra station on February 27, 2002.

The incident led to state-wide communal violence in which about 1,000 people were killed.

UNI