Not only are there three women accused, but a majority of the
witnesses are also women; coincidently the case will be decided by a
woman judge on Saturday
Nikunj Soni l Ahmedabad
The Naroda Patia massacre will go down in history for being a rare
case in which three women are accused of rioting and abetment to
crime.
Besides BJP MLA Dr Maya Kodnani, two sisters face charges of providing
help to the rioters in setting ablaze and killing Muslims in the
narrow lanes of Naroda Patia. A total of 97 Muslims were brutally
killed by a mob on February 28, 2002. It is also the sole case of the
2002 riots in which three women face rioting charges. The accused
sisters are Geeta and Ramila Ratilal, residents of Naroda Patiya.
According to the prosecution case, both were actively involved, along
with their father Ratilal who is known as Jay Bhavani, in the dance of
death and destruction.
Witnesses and survivors like Jannat Banu Kallubhai, Ishrat Jaha, Abdul
Majid Usman Shiekh and others have identified Geeta and Ramila in
their testimonies before designated judge Jyotsna Yagnik.
According to the deposition of witnesses, Geeta and Ramila were part
of the mob which went on a rampage in the chawls of Naroda Patia. The
witnesses have said the two sisters provided the rioters bedsheets
doused in kerosene which were used to set the victims ablaze including
children.
Along with the two women, their brother Mukesh Rathod is also an
accused in the case. Both sisters have denied the charges. While
talking to DNA, they said, “We actually provided them (victims)
shelter and food during the mayhem.” (With inputs from Roxy Gagdekar)
Gaurang Vyas, assistant special prosecutor in the case, said, “There
are three female accused in the case. The two sisters, Geeta and
Ramila, face charges of abetment to murder by providing the accused
bedsheets doused in kerosene. They have also been charged for the
murder of three persons.” Counsel for the sisters, Niranjan Kikani,
said, “The version of the witnesses is full of contradictions. Nobody
has attributed their specific role in the incident. Therefore
evidences against them are unbelievable.” Now the ball is in the court
of Jyotsna Yagnik who will decide complicity of the three women in one
of the most heinous riot cases in the history of Gujarat. Verdict in
the Naroda Patiya case is on June 30.
witnesses are also women; coincidently the case will be decided by a
woman judge on Saturday
Nikunj Soni l Ahmedabad
The Naroda Patia massacre will go down in history for being a rare
case in which three women are accused of rioting and abetment to
crime.
Besides BJP MLA Dr Maya Kodnani, two sisters face charges of providing
help to the rioters in setting ablaze and killing Muslims in the
narrow lanes of Naroda Patia. A total of 97 Muslims were brutally
killed by a mob on February 28, 2002. It is also the sole case of the
2002 riots in which three women face rioting charges. The accused
sisters are Geeta and Ramila Ratilal, residents of Naroda Patiya.
According to the prosecution case, both were actively involved, along
with their father Ratilal who is known as Jay Bhavani, in the dance of
death and destruction.
Witnesses and survivors like Jannat Banu Kallubhai, Ishrat Jaha, Abdul
Majid Usman Shiekh and others have identified Geeta and Ramila in
their testimonies before designated judge Jyotsna Yagnik.
According to the deposition of witnesses, Geeta and Ramila were part
of the mob which went on a rampage in the chawls of Naroda Patia. The
witnesses have said the two sisters provided the rioters bedsheets
doused in kerosene which were used to set the victims ablaze including
children.
Along with the two women, their brother Mukesh Rathod is also an
accused in the case. Both sisters have denied the charges. While
talking to DNA, they said, “We actually provided them (victims)
shelter and food during the mayhem.” (With inputs from Roxy Gagdekar)
Gaurang Vyas, assistant special prosecutor in the case, said, “There
are three female accused in the case. The two sisters, Geeta and
Ramila, face charges of abetment to murder by providing the accused
bedsheets doused in kerosene. They have also been charged for the
murder of three persons.” Counsel for the sisters, Niranjan Kikani,
said, “The version of the witnesses is full of contradictions. Nobody
has attributed their specific role in the incident. Therefore
evidences against them are unbelievable.” Now the ball is in the court
of Jyotsna Yagnik who will decide complicity of the three women in one
of the most heinous riot cases in the history of Gujarat. Verdict in
the Naroda Patiya case is on June 30.
