Two more sentenced to life for 2002 Godhra train attack
Ahmedabad, Aug 27: A special trial court here on Monday sentenced two more persons to life imprisonment and acquitted three others in the 2002 Sabarmati Express train burning case at Godhra railway station, which triggered large scale communal violence across Gujarat.
Different investigating agencies had arrested five persons in 2015-16 and they were put on trial by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Supreme Court.
With this, as many as 33 people have been sentenced to life imprisonment in the case while 66 others have been acquitted. A Special SIT court had convicted 31 people on March 1, 2011, and 11 of them were awarded death penalty and the others were sentenced to life imprisonment. However, in October last year the Gujarat High Court commuted the death sentences to life imprisonment.
Special Additional Public Prosecutor N.N.Prajapati told reporters that the court sentenced Farooq Bhana and Imran alias Sheru Batik to life imprisonment. The judgment was pronounced from Sabarmati Central Jail where the trial took place.
Investigating agencies accused Bhana, who is in his 50s, of being a key conspirator of the train attack. He was arrested by Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad in May 2016. Bhana, a sitting corporator of Polan-Bazar area of Godhra municipality, was on the run since the day of the train burning incident on February 27, 2002.
It was alleged that on the night of February 26, Bhana and other accused persons had held a meeting at Aman Guest House near the railway station as part of their conspiracy to set ablaze the S6 coach of the train.
For almost a decade, he remained underground hiding his identity and would meet his family at different places. He was arrested in Panchmahal district from a toll plaza where he had come to meet his family members.
The convict Imran alias Sheru Batuk was also found guilty of conspiracy and being part of the mob which set the train on fire. He was arrested by Detection of Crime Branch, Ahmedabad in 2016 from Malegaon in Maharashtra.
The other three accused -- Hussain Suleman Mohan, Kasam Bhamedi and Faruk Dhantiya -- were acquitted.
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Sai Baba temple at Shirdi not to allow garlands, bouquets, shawls inside
Mumbai, May 10 (PTI): Amid heightened security concerns in the country, the Sai Baba temple trust at Shirdi in Maharashtra has decided not to allow garland, bouquets and shawls to brought inside the temple complex.
The famous temple which draws millions of devotees every year had received a threatening email last week.
Goraksh Gadilkar, a member of the Sai Baba Sansthan Trust, said devotees will be searched before entering the temple.
"The Sansthan received a threat email on May 2. In view of India-Pakistan tensions and the security alert across the country, flowers, garlands, prasad and shawls will not be allowed inside," he told PTI.
The Ahilyanagar district police have also made some suggestions to enhance the security of the temple.
On Friday, the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai said it will not allow garlands, prasad and coconuts inside from May 11.
