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Probe panel visits burnt coach site at Godhra

Godhra, September 15
The U. C. Banerjee high-level committee, appointed by the Centre to investigate the exact cause of fire inside the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express, in which 59 'Ram Sevaks' were killed in February 2002, today visited Godhra Railway Station, to gather "first hand" report as to how the train was burnt.

Mr Banerjee, former Supreme Court Judge, assisted by Mr Balakesaria, Mr S. K. Dheri, Mr S. K. Khanna-who are fire, mechanical/ technical experts-conducted inspections, took samples from the interiors of the charred coach and questioned railway officials on various aspects of the incident.

Mr Banerjee later told reporters that the high-powered committee, formed under the Railways Act, first aimed to "understand what had actually happened inside the S-6 coach and how the fire had begun." The technical experts also sought various details about the functioning of the vacuum brake pipe of the train and all chain pulling features that were responsible for its halt just before the ill-fated coach caught fire.

The team also halted a train coming from Vadodara, got onboard and after taking it near to the incident spot cross-checked various details about the stone-pelting that had occurred on the S-6 coach on February 27, 2002.

When asked if the technical experts would be able to find out anything as the incident was two-and-a-half years old now, Justice Banerjee said they would first inspect the coach, take samples and then decide after their probe.

He, however, refused to comment when asked if he would consider or look into the evidence gathered by the Special Investigating Team (SIT) of the Gujarat police and other agencies of the state government He added the committee was given a time period of three months to submit their findings into the incident. — PTI