Date:15/07/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/07/15/stories/2004071515501100.htm

National

Forensic report disputes Godhra fire theory

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JULY 14. The report of the Forensic Science Laboratory, Gujarat that conducted a study on the Godhra train carnage had observed that the inflammable fluid that caused the fire spread from inside the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express.

The contents of the four-page report that was read out by the Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad, said that "by taking into consideration the fact that no effect of the fire was found on the bottom side of the coach and also the burning pattern, a conclusion can be drawn that no inflammable fluid had been thrown inside from outside the coach."

The report dated May 15, 2002 was read out by the Minister while announcing a high-level departmental probe into the February 27, 2002 fire that resulted in the death of 59 persons.

It said that going by the burning pattern inside the coach, its degree and depth, the fire appeared to have spread inside the coach very rapidly from Eastern side to Western side, and that the intensity and proportion of the burning of objects inside the coach was very high, up to around 80 per cent part of the east to west side whereas in the 20 per cent part, the intensity of burning was less.

"By observing the flames of the windows of the coach, it appears that all the windows of the coach were closed during the time of the fire," the report said.

"No sign was observed of the use of any corrosive fluid like acid in the said fire," it said

The report said the team of forensic experts had visited the site and to recreate the real picture of how the offence was committed on the day of the incident, one coach of the train was kept at the same spot. "With the help of different types of containers, experimental demonstrations were also carried out by using liquids inside the said coach and conclusion drawn.

One of it was that the height of the window of the coach was around 7 feet from the ground at the place and in the position it was not possible to throw any inflammable fluid inside from outside the coach from any bucket because by doing this, most of the fluid was getting thrown outside. It also said there appeared to be no possibility that any inflammable liquid was thrown through the door of the bogie.