Modi abused Jafri on seeking help, says witness

Ahmedabad, Nov 5 : An eyewitness to the 2002 Gulbarg Society massacre case has told a designated fast track court that Chief Minister Narendra Modi had abused senior Congress leader Ahsan Jafri, when the latter sought help and police protection from a rioting mob during the infamous Gujarat riots on February 28, 2002.

Jafri was among 69 people killed in the riots in Gulbarg Society area here during state-wide riots in the wake of the train carnage at Godhra station, in which 59 pilgrims returning from Ayodhya were killed on February 27, 2002.

On the Supreme Court's directive following a complaint from Jafri's widow, a Special Investigation Team, led by former CBI Director R K Raghavan, is investigating the role of Mr Modi, senior bureaucrats and police officers during the riots.

While deposing before designated fast track court judge B U Joshi here yesterday, Imtiaz Sayed Pathan, 126th witness in the Gulbarg Society massacre case, said he was among many people who had taken shelter at former Rajya Sabha member Ahsan Jafri's house when a rampaging mob attacked their society.

''On the request of the frightened people, Jafri had telephoned the Chief Minister seeking help and police protection, but Mr Modi had used abusive word against him,'' Mr Imtiaz told the court quoting the Congress leader. No police protection was given to them, he said.

Within one or two hour, the rioting mob killed Jafri among others, said Mr Imtiaz, who survived the attack, but lost few members of his family.

Nearly 1,000 people were killed and property worth several crores of rupees were damaged in the riots here in 2002.

--UNI

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