By: Dahyabhai
Patel
As we all read in media that there are 2000, 3000 or even 5000 muslim deaths.
On request of a E-friend of mine, I made some research as to number of
reported deaths in Gujarat Riots.
Per Rediff report, on March12, 2002 the Ahmdawad curfew was lifted when death
toll was 633 and many peaceful days were reported thereafter, with some
random violence all over Gujarat. From my continuous news reading, the large
majority deaths after lifting of curfew were of Hindus by Muslims. These
Hindus were identified and targeted for murder.
Per Rediff news reports of March 30, 2002, reproduced below, the last death
toll was reported to be at 762 for whole Gujarat State.( However, sporadic
violence claimed two lives and left nearly a dozen injured in the past 48
hours, raising the official death toll from communal violence since the
Godhra train arson incident on February 27 to 762. The unofficial death toll
has already crossed the 800 mark)
This includes policemen, and civilians, both Hindus and Muslims. After these
reports, only few deaths here and there of fresh violence were reported, that
will not add to more than 25 deaths as of today.
I remember reading about deaths of many policemen. My recollection is of more
than 100 death of policemen. Never before so many policemen had died in
riots.
BELOW ARE SOME NEWS ITEMS TO SUPPORT ABOVE NUMBERS.
Gujarat Toll 252 (March 01)
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/mar/01train16.htm
Communal violence continued in Gujarat on Friday with 46 more deaths being
reported, pushing the toll since Wednesday's Godhra incident to 252. 38
bodies Recovered;
Gujarat Toll Mounts to 607 (March 07)
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/mar/07train4.htm
Thirty-eight more bodies were recovered from deserted and burnt houses of
Gujarat that witnessed week-long violence, taking the toll to 607.
Death toll in Gujarat Violence Mounts to 633 (March 08)
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/mar/08train3.htm
Fourteen more bodies were on Friday pulled out of burnt houses pushing the
toll in the violence that rocked Gujarat to 633.
Curfew lifted completely in Ahmedabad (March 12)
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/mar/12train2.htm
Curfew was completely lifted on Tuesday morning in Ahmedabad with no fresh
incidents being reported from anywhere.
Curfew Being Relaxed In Gujarat (March 30)
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/mar/30train.htm
Restrictions were eased on Saturday when curfew was totally lifted in ten
police station areas of Ahmedabad. However, sporadic violence claimed two
lives and left nearly a dozen injured in the past 48 hours, raising the
official death toll from communal violence since the Godhra train arson
incident on February 27 to 762. The unofficial death toll has already crossed
the 800 mark.