Journalism of Courage
A special designated court Thursday is pronounced the verdict in the Gulberg Society massacre case involving the killing of 69 people, including former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, during the 2002 post-Godhra riots.
The court decided the fate of 62 accused in this case, which is one of the nine major rioting incidents investigated by the Supreme Court appointed-Special Investigation Team. 24 were convicted on various charges, while 36 were acquitted.
An abandonned Gulberg society soon after the riots. (Express Archive)
READ Gulberg Society verdict LIVE: 24 convicted, 36 others acquitted including BJP leader Bipin Patel
The Gulberg Society massacre took place on February 28, 2002, during the 2002 Gujarat riots, when a mob attacked the Gulberg Society, a lower middle-class Muslim neighbourhood in Chamanpura, Ahmedabad. Most of the houses were burnt, and at least 35 victims including a former Congress Member of Parliament Ehsan Jafri, were burnt alive, while 31 others went missing. (Express Archive) READ Gulberg Society verdict LIVE: 24 convicted, 36 others acquitted including BJP leader Bipin Patel
Sixty-nine persons were killed in Gulberg Society. Jafri’s widow, Zakia, has filed a case against the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and others for allegedly orchestrating the riots. The case was investigated by the SIT that gave the clean chit to Modi in 2012 while SIT’s report was upheld by a metropolitan magistrate only last year. Zakia then moved a petition in the High Court challenging the appeal. (Express Archive)
There were a total of 66 accused in the massacre case. Out of them, four have died. The massacre occurred on February 28, 2002, a day after Godhra train carnage incident. (Express Archive)
A special Ahmedabad court, which convicted 24 of the 66 accused in the 2002 post-Godhra Gulberg society riots case, will on Monday pronounce the quantum of punishment. On 2 June, Special Court Judge PB Desai had convicted 24 of the 66 accused in the case, including a VHP leader, which left 69 people including former Congress MP Ahsan Jafri dead.
Read more: Gulberg massacre case: Court to announce quantum of punishment today
Brunt vehicle infront of Gulberg society during Gohara riots.
