Gulberg society massacre witnesses’ plea rejected

GANDHINAGAR - The Gujarat High Court Thursday rejected a petition by witnesses of Gulberg society massacre in Ahmedabad during the 2002 Gujarat riots, seeking to summon some government officials as witnesses and cross-examine them.

Pleading that former MP Ehsan Jafri had talked with some top officials and highly-placed people to seek their help before he was killed by a mob, Imtiyazkhan Pathan and others had sought examining of policemen and officers, fire brigade officials and Ahmedabad city police control room wireless operator and other staff on duty on the day in question.

Such questioning would also throw light on the role of the then joint commissioner of police, M.K. Tandon in this incident, they contended.

However Justice Akil Kureshi rejected the plea. Earlier a lower court had also turned down their plea.

A total of 69 people including Jafri were killed in the incident.