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Godhra still struggling to cope with tragedy

Onkar Singh in Godhra

Godhra, the small town in eastern Gujarat, which was thrust on to the world map by the horrific attack on the Sabarmati Express on February 27, is still trying to come to terms with the event and its aftermath.

Policemen and Home Guards personnel can be seen at street corners, chatting with one another while keeping a wary eye out for troublemakers.

The Panchmahals district police have so far arrested at least 60 suspects in coordination with the railway police. Twenty-three of them have been arrested in connection with the attack on the train, including Congress politician Mohammed Hussain Kolota, president of the Godhra Municipal Council.

Kolota has been named with others in three different first information reports registered with the city police and the railway police. Top officers of the district police, including Special Inspector General of Police (crime and railways) P P Agja, are busy planning more raids to catch the rest of the accused, including councillors Bilal Haji and Farookh Bhana.

Congress leader Shanti Patel, former Union deputy minister for commerce, and Rajinder Patel, local Congress MLA, however, claim that Kolota had nothing to do with the party. "Look at these documents," said Shanti Patel. "They clearly show that he has nothing to do with the Congress party. Local BJP politicians are trying to pass the blame on the Congress party."

Shanti Patel said the media should not buy the stories dished out by their political rivals and should instead make their own independent investigations. "Whoever is involved in the burning of the 57 hapless passengers must be punished," he said.

Barely a week after the incident, Godhra railway station has a new stationmaster, Jai Singh Katijaya. "My predecessor has retired," he said when asked where the previous stationmaster is now.

According to Singh the train had arrived five hours behind schedule on that fateful day. The Sabarmati Express normally arrives at Godhra at 2.55 in the morning.

"This was a pre-planned conspiracy. Imagine what would have happened if the train had come on time. There were 16 bogies full of passengers," Shambu Prasad Shukla, a local Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader, told rediff.com at his residence in the heart of the town.

The Sabarmati in Flames: Complete Coverage

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