Gujarat Riots 2002

The history of violence in modern India has been marked by certain images. Perhaps the most haunting in collective memory is the train burning incidence in 'Godhra Junction Station' followed by communal riots that claims death of more than 2000 people (Unofficial data) and many still missing. Godhra is a city in Gujarat, a state situated in the western part of India.

Today marks the tenth anniversary of Gujarat train burning incident that followed by two month long communal riots. On 27 February 2002, the Sabarmati Express train was attacked at Godhra station by a large Muslim mob as per a pre-planned conspiracy.58 Hindu pilgrims, mostly women and children returning from Ayodhya (a Hindu pilgrimage), were killed in the attack. This in turn prompted retaliatory attacks against Muslims and general communal riots on a large scale across the state of Gujarat, in which 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were ultimately killed and 223 more people were reported missing.523 places of worship were damaged that includes 298 dargahs, 205 mosques, 17 temples, and 3 churches. 61,000 Muslims and 10,000 Hindus fled their homes. Preventive arrests of 17,947 Hindus and 3,616 Muslims were made. In total 27,901 Hindus and 7,651 Muslims were arrested. Nearly 10,000 rounds of bullets were fired in police shootings that killed 93 Muslims and 77 Hindus.