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Ram sevaks were attacked with inflammable material: Gujarat government

Terming as misleading media reports on the findings of a probe into the Godhra carnage suggesting combustible substance was probably hurled from inside the train, the Gujarat government on Friday said Ram sevaks were attacked with inflammable liquid in a "pre-planned" manner.

At least 58 people, most of them kar sevaks returning from Ayodhya, were burnt alive in two coaches of Sabarmati Express on February 27. The incident sparked off riots in Gujarat claiming over 900 lives.

A spokesman of the state home department described the reports on the findings of the Forensic Science Laboratory as "misleading and out of context" and said "the train was stopped at the signal after it had left the railway station and Ram sevaks were attacked with inflammable liquid."

The spokesman said the media reports were aimed at "shielding the culprits involved in the crime in which coach S-6 of the Sabarmati Express was set ablaze, killing at least 59 people, mostly Ram sevaks."

"Attempts are being made to provide help to those involved in the crime by using certain parts of the FSL report," the spokesman added.

He said certain paragraphs from the FSL report had been quoted "out of context" but the government did not want to reveal any information and create hurdles in the investigations.

The Sabarmati in Flames: Complete Coverage

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