After 19 years, Rafiq Bhatuk, prime accused in 2002 Godhra train burning case finally arrested
Rafiq Hussain Bhatuk, prime accused in the Sabarmati Express burning case, more infamously known as the Godhra train burning, was finally arrested after being on the lam for almost 19 years.
On February 27, 2002, 59 Hindu Karsevaks on their way to Ayodhya were burnt to death, after the train compartment in which they were travelling was set alight by a Muslim mob. The barbaric incident occurred at Godhra, a town in the Indian state of Gujarat, triggering the worst communal riots in the history of the state.
According to the police, Rafiq Hussain Bhatuk was among the core members of the group that had hatched the sinister conspiracy and was also responsible for inciting the mob. He is also alleged to have even arranged petrol to torch the train compartment.
The Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Panchmahal police and Godhra town police raided a house in the Signal Falia locality in the town and nabbed Bhatuk.
“He fled to Delhi immediately after his name cropped up during the investigation. He was facing murder and rioting charges among others,” Panchmahal Superintendent of Police Leena Patil said.
“He was involved in pelting stones on the compartment and pouring petrol inside before it was set on fire by the other accused,” she added.
SP Patil also said, “We recently learnt that he had changed his house and visited his family in the past too. However, we couldn’t catch him as he used to leave after a day or two. This time, our teams managed to catch him. We will hand him over to Godhra railway station police for further investigation.”
There are three more accused ― Salim Ibrahim Badam aka Salim Panwala, Shaukat Charkha and Abdulmajid Yousuf Mitha ― who have not been nabbed. They are believed to have fled to Pakistan.
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