Godhra Carnage: Supreme Court to hear case in February; Gujarat government seeks death penalty for convicts

The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for February 13 to address appeals related to the 2002 Godhra Carnage case, an incident that led to widespread riots in Gujarat. A bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Arvind Kumar has emphasised that no adjournments will be allowed during the proceedings.

On February 27, 2002, the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express was set ablaze at Godhra railway station in Gujarat, resulting in the tragic deaths of 59 passengers, many of whom were kar sevaks returning from Ayodhya. The horrific incident acted as a catalyst for one of the most violent episodes in India’s recent history, with riots erupting across the state in the aftermath.

Nine years after the incident, an SIT (Special Investigation Team) court convicted 31 individuals in 2011. Of these, 11 were sentenced to death, while 20 received life imprisonment. In October 2017, the Gujarat High Court commuted the death sentences of the 11 convicts to life imprisonment, while upholding the life sentences of the remaining 20.

The Gujarat government subsequently filed an appeal in the Supreme Court, seeking the reinstatement of the death penalty for the 11 convicts whose sentences were commuted.

In February 2023, the Gujarat government informed the Supreme Court of its intention to seek the death penalty for the 11 convicts whose sentences were reduced by the High Court. The state’s appeal is one among several others that challenge the High Court’s decision, with multiple parties involved in the case, including convicts seeking relief.

Large-scale riots across Gujarat followed the Godhra Carnage. Official records estimate that over 1,000 people were killed. One of the most infamous episodes during this period was the massacre at Ahmedabad’s Gulbarg Housing Society on February 28, 2002, where 69 people, lost their lives to an uncontrolled mob.

The situation spiralled out of control, prompting the deployment of the army on the third day of the riots to restore order. The riots left a lasting scar on the state and the nation, with the incident and its aftermath continuing to be a subject of intense debate and legal scrutiny.

The Supreme Court’s hearing on February 13 will focus on the appeals filed by both the Gujarat government and the convicts, making it a step in the ongoing legal saga surrounding one of the most contentious episodes in modern Indian history.