Court to Declare Verdict in Gulberg Society Massacre Case in June

The judgement in the case has been pending since September 2015.

At the height of the Gujarat riots, a Hindu mob attacked Gulberg Society, a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood in Ahmedabad. (Photo: Reuters)

On 2 June, a special trial court in Ahmedabad will pronounce it’s verdict in the Gulberg Society Massacre case, in which 69 people, including Congress Parliamentarian Ehsan Jafri were killed. The judgement has been pending since September 2015.

On 28 February 2002, at the height of the Gujarat Riots, a Hindu mob attacked Gulberg Society, a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood in Ahmedabad. Houses were torched and at least 35 victims were burnt alive. 31 others went missing and were later presumed dead. The total death toll was 69.

The massacre took place a day after the Sabarmati Express train was burnt at Godhra railway station, in which 59 people were killed. The trial began in 2009. Since then, four of the accused have died.

One of the accused, Bipin Patel, is a BJP corporator who has won a seat in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation for the fourth consecutive time.

The Special Investigative Team (SIT) argued that a mob of over 20,000 people gathered at Gulberg Society, a posh Muslim neighbourhood, and attempted to raze it to the ground. Witnesses have implicated the accused directly and their testimonies are backed by medical evidence.

Read The Indian Express’ story here.