Cops let Gujarat burn in 2002: NGO has 'proof'

THE SPARK: The Railway station in Gujarat where 58 train passengers died on February 2002.

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Keywords: NGO , Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad: An NGO in Gujarat claims it has evidence that the police deliberately avoided riot-hit areas during the communal violence of 2002.

The Jansangharsh Manch, which works for riot victims, on Saturday gave the Nanavati Shah commission its analysis of phone conversations between senior police officials and politicians during the riots. The NGO’s analysis is based transcripts stored in CDs, which were given to the commission by DIG Rahul four years ago.

The NGO claims that its analysis indicates top police officials responsible for controlling skipped places where massive riots were taking place. "Our analysis makes two things clear: the excuse that the police were outnumbered by mobs is bogus and the police commissioner's orders were not obeyed by his immediate subordinates. The analysis also shows that some riot accused were in touch with the police," alleged the NGO’s lawyer Mukul Sinha.

The NGO claims police officials moved away from Gulbarga Society and Naroda Patiya, some of the worst affected areas in Ahmedabad, before the mobs attacked. The government has asked for more time to respond to these charges.

"We have sought a copy of the CDs so that we will know whether these charges are completely true or not and then we will file a reply within 15 days," said government lawyer A M Pandya.

Sinha told a press conference his analysis is based on “mobile phone data” of nine persons, including the Police Commissioner of Ahmedabad City, the Joint Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners, Home Minister and some riot accused.