The Hindu : 86 killed in fresh incidents in Gujarat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 03, 2002

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86 killed in fresh incidents in Gujarat
By Manas Dasgupta

The Army patrolling a street in Ahmedabad on Saturday. - AP

AHMEDABAD, MARCH 2. As many as 86 people were killed in fresh incidents of violence in different parts of Gujarat today with disturbances spreading to newer and remote rural areas, even as the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, claimed that the situation was ``fast returning to normalcy'' in the State.

In yet another incident, 27 persons were burnt alive at Sadarpar village in Vijapur taluka of Mehsana district, while seven persons met a similar fate in a bakery near Dabhoi town in Baroda district. Four persons were also burnt alive at Por village and one was stabbed to death in Kalol town in Gandhinagar district. At least 47 persons have been killed in police firings in different cities and towns since last night, including 19 in Ahmedabad city alone where the police had to open fire repeatedly to disperse violent mobs engaged in pitched battle. Eight people were killed in police firing in Godhra town.

For the first time, disturbances have spread to the capital district of Gandhinagar and Surat and Bhavnagar cities where indefinite curfew was clamped after 22 people were killed in stabbing and police firing. Curfew, however, was partially lifted from 14 cities and towns, including Ahmedabad, to give a semblance of normalcy, but at least 40 cities and towns in the State were under indefinite curfew.

The death toll, according to Mr. Modi had reached 289, including 160 in Ahmedabad, but unconfirmed reports put the toll at above 350. Mr. Modi denied that 30 persons were burnt alive in Pandarvada village near Godhra yesterday and claimed that nine persons belonging to both the communities were killed in clashes in the village.

Mr. Modi said the incident in Sadarpar was sparked by rumours that the minorities had collected in a building and were preparing to attack and in retaliation, the majority community set fire to the building.

In Surat, two mosques, at least 15 houses of the minorities and a timber market were set ablaze in Pakhinawad. Five people were killed in stabbing in Gopipura and some other parts of the city following which an indefinite curfew was clamped in five police station areas. In Bhavnagar, one person was killed in police firing and four were stabbed to death forcing the police to impose indefinite curfew.

Mr. Modi said Border Security Force units had been despatched to Surat to assist the civil authorities to maintain law and order and the Government would consider sending the army to the diamond city after the promised second brigade reached Ahmedabad.

The situation, however, has improved in Ahmedabad today where no major incidents of arson were reported since last night though members of the two communities were engaged in pitched battles pelting stones and acid bulbs necessitating the police to open fire at several places. In the only case of the patrolling army units opening fire to disperse violent mobs, two persons were injured in the industrial belt of Odhav.

In the interiors of the western suburbs of the city, some shops and other business establishments reopened today after two days.

Even while claiming that the situation was improving, Mr. Modi said the police fired at least 1,031 rounds in different parts of the State since last night besides bursting 1,614 teargas shells to disperse violent mobs. While 19 people were killed in police firing in Ahmedabad and eight in Godhra, six people were killed in police firing in Baroda, five in Anand, three each in Mehsana and Gandhinagar, two in Kaira and one in Bhavnagar.

The toll in stabbing and arson was officially put at 242 in which Ahmedabad alone accounted for 131 killings and Mehsana, the home district of the Chief Minister, 40. Even the tribal-dominated districts of Sabarkantha and Dahod accounted for 15 and 10 deaths respectively. Strongly denying that the police had failed to act in time, Mr. Modi claimed that ``90 per cent areas'' in the State remained incident-free because of the pro-active role played by the police. The presence of the army had created a ``salutary effect'' in bringing the situation under control in Ahmedabad, Baroda and Godhra.

Mr. Modi convened a meeting of the leaders of political parties here this evening to discuss the riot situation but it was boycotted by the Congress.

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