Godhra riots probe digs up bones at village

Bones suspected to be of victims of post-Godhra riots were found by a Supreme Court-appointed investigation team at Ode village in Anand district of Gujarat during an excavation of the place, sources involved in the operation said.

The bones were found by SIT at Piruwali Bhagol where a house was burnt down during the 2002 riots, the sources added.

The SIT was constituted by the apex court to probe the Godhra train burning and post-Godhra riot cases.

The SIT has been conducting search operations since a couple of days at three sites at Ode village where about 25 people were killed by rioters six years ago.

According to sources, the bones were packed in plastic bags and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Gandhinagar for tests.

The sites, where the SIT is conducting the excavation, are Piruwali Bhagol, a step-well in Ode main bazar and a dry well located in Malav Bhagol area, they added.

According to sources, the search is being conducted by local authorities under the supervision of SIT member Shivanand Jha.

Heavy duty pumps are being used to empty the step-well in the main bazar.

"We have been pumping out water for three days now. But still there is lot of water to be pumped out," said a district official involved in the search operation.

SIT has till date made one arrest in the Gulbarg Society case where 38 persons including ex-MP Ehasan Jafry were killed during the 2002 riots. SIT has formed nine teams, each headed by an officer of the rank of deputy superintendent of police, to assist in the probe.

The members of SIT visited the sites of crime and have familiarised themselves with the sequence of events that occurred during the riots.

The team earlier visited the site where S6 coach of the Sabarmati Express train was burnt near Godhra railway station and also inspected the coach.

SIT has been asked to submit its final report within three months of its formation. Former CBI chief R K Raghvan is heading the SIT, while former Uttar Pradesh DGP A Sathpathy is a member of the team along with three IPS officers from Gujarat -- Geetha Johri, Ashish Bhatia and Shivanand Jha.