Godhra train burning incident: Here's a timeline of the case that inspired Vikrant Massey's The Sabarmati Report

A Hindi-language film inspired by the 2002 Godhra train burning incident titled The Sabarmati Report has been released this Friday in theaters. The real-life incident took place on February 27, 2002, when the Sabarmati Express train was set on fire near Godhra station in India's Gujarat. To understand all the facts and the investigations that followed, here's a timeline of the case that inspired the Vikrant Massey film:

Timeline of Godhra case that inspired The Sabarmati Report

February 27, 2002

The train burning incident took place in the Sabarmati Express train's coach S-6, which was carrying kar sevaks returning from Ayodhya, leading to over 55 deaths. The fire incident sparked riots across the state of Gujarat.

Today marks 21st Anniv of Godhra tragedy. Sabarmati Express, carrying Karsevaks, pre-poned journey from Ayodhya, thus coinciding its Gujarat entry with a VHP meet in Rajkot. MS Dahiya forensic report concludes, fire originated in passage near berth 72 and wasn't lit from outside. pic.twitter.com/Bc6BeVi4Sn

¡ª Seema Sengupta, (@SeemaSengupta5) February 27, 2023

March, 2002

After the incident in February, local police in the state of Gujarat started investigating the incident and called it a pre-planned attack. An FIR was also filed, and multiple arrests were made in March 2002.

In the same year, the Gujarat High Court made the Nanavati-Shah Commission to further investigate the train burning and the riots that followed in Gujarat.

In 2005

In 2005, the government that was in power back then, the UPA government at the center, initiated a separate investigation by the Banerjee Committee, which later claimed the fire was accidental and not a preplanned attack.

In 2008

Since there were different investigations and different groups doing the investigations on the Godhra incident, the Nanavati-Shah Commission made in 2004 claimed in its interim report that the fire was a conspiracy.

In 2011

In the year 2011, a special court in Gujarat convicted 31 people, sentenced 11 to death, and 20 were given life imprisonment in the case uder under Judge P. R. Patel. The court acquitted over 60 people due to a lack of evidence.

#WATCH | ...Court said in judgement today that riots after burning of train (Godhra) weren't pre-planned but self-motivated. It dismissed Tehelka's sting operation because when the footage before&after it came to light, it was found that the sting op was politically motivated: HM pic.twitter.com/OKf7OYatyd

¡ª ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2022

In 2017

In the year 2017, the Gujarat High Court commuted the death sentences of the 11 convicts to life imprisonment.

In 2022

The apex court of India in 2022 granted bail to several accused in the case as it considered their age and time served in custody.

Now in November 2024

The release of Vikrant Massey's film, The Sabarmati Report, has regenerated public interest in the 2002 Godhra train burning case. The film basically explores the legal and social implications of the 2002 incident and its aftermath in the state of Gujarat and overall India. The Godhra case still remains an important chapter in the country's political history that involves discourse around communal harmony, justice, and governance.