Indian court sentences 11 to death for Godhra train blaze

[News_Editor]

Indian court sentences 11 to death for Godhra train blaze

2011-03-01 21:44:28 GMT+7 (ICT)

GUJARAT, INDIA (BNO NEWS) -- A special court on Tuesday sentenced to death eleven people for setting fire to a passenger train in the Indian town of Godhra in 2002, while 20 others were sentenced to life in prison, Press Trust of India reported.

"The court looking into their active role in the conspiracy and setting afire the S6 coach of Sabarmati Express train near Godhra, gave death penalty to 11 people," public prosecutor J. M. Panchal said.

The prosecution had sought death sentence for all the 31 convicts, saying that it was a heinous act. On February 22, the court charged the 31 with murder and criminal conspiracy, and acquitted 63 people.

The accused have 90 days to appeal. Defence counsel I. M. Munshi said the convicts will definitely appeal against the punishment.

"It (the punishment) is very difficult to swallow. Till we get the copy of the judgement, we cannot comment much," Munshi said.

The Sabarmati Express was set on fire on February 27, 2002, near Godhra railway station where 59 persons, mainly Hindu, were killed. The attack triggered widespread communal riots in Gujarat that claimed the lives of over 1,200 people, mainly Muslims.

Law Minister Veerappa Moily said the judgment in the Godhra case does not justify the riots that followed the incident, as reported by Press Trust of India.

"How can you justify that... trial of those (riot) cases has to go on independently and culprits have to be punished," he said.

This is one of the largest number of death sentences given at any one time in India.

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