Annexure I: Confidential Report
On the visit of NHRC Team headed by Chairperson, NHRC to Ahmedabad, Vadodra and Godhra from 19-22 March 2002.
i) It does not indicate specifically the details ofthe preventive measures, if any, taken at the sensitive points in Ahmedabad city which witnessed large scaleviolence, arson and looting.
Gujarat has, over the years, become prone to frequentoutbreaks of communal riots. It had serious communal riots in 1969, 1985, 1992 and 1996. However, the presentriots are different from all earlier riots in terms of intensity of violence and degree of brutality. Newareas and not only the usual trouble spots identified on the basis of past experience were affected by themenace this time. While the riots in the past involved both the communities in group clashes resulting evenfrom minor incidents, the incidents following the Godhra incident are characterised by assaults by huge Hindumobs on the members of the minority community. The size of the marauding crowds involved in the majorincidents was found to be between five to fifteen thousand and the scale of violence and brutality of methodsof killing and looting indicated long planning and indoctrination.
A total of 37 persons ( 24 Hindu, 12 Muslims and 1other) had died in disturbances in Vadodara till 21 March (morning). 17 of them were killed in arson, 13 instabbing incidents, 6 in police firing and 1 in pvt. firing. The police firing resulted in killing of 3 Hindusand 3 Muslims. A total of 125 persons – 45 Hindu & 80 Muslims have been injured in disturbances till 21March. 16 police personnel are also reported to have been injured.
1. Many members of the majority community stated thatthe riots were a reaction to the incident at Godhra. They added that there had been a feeling of resentmentover the increasing visits of people from Pakistan who are using Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Godhra for subversiveactivities. They feel that the Godhra attack on karsewaks was pre-planned and there is involvement of aforeign hand in it. Local Muslims and Hindus have no problem in living together peacefully. It is only thevisitors from the neighbouring country receiving huge amount of foreign money who are working to createdisaster in India.
i) Representatives of the Chamber of Commerce andForum of Industries (18) said that the intensity of violence in the aftermath of Godhra incident would havebeen much less had the burning alive of Karsewaks at Godhra on 27 February been condemned promptly by allparties regardless of their ideological differences. They blamed the ‘pseudo-secularists’ for the communalviolence. They praised the District Administration and the police for doing well despite being undertremendous strain.
Sr. No.
| Places
| Taluka
| Estimated No. of people
|
1.
| Karanta
| Khanpur
| 4000
|
2.
| Aantalwada
| Kadana
| 5000
|
3.
| Pallav
| Rajgadh
| 2100
|
4.
| Baska
| Halol
| 1200
|
5.
| Khandivav
| Jambughoda
| 100
|
6.
| Vejalpur
| Kalol
| 800
|