After 17 years, Gujarat govt announces compensation for Godhra train carnage victims

Smoke pours from the carriage of a train on fire in Godhra, in the western Indian state of Gujarat, February 27, 2002. Up to 56 people died on Wednesday after a train carrying Hindu activists from the controversial site of a razed mosque was set on fire in western India, officials said. REUTERS/Str BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE REUTERS JSG/AA - RP3DRHYUHJAB

Almost 17 years after the Godhra train burning incident, the Gujarat government on Thursday announced compensation of Rs five lakh each for the families of 52 victims. In an official release, the state government said the decision has been taken as per the Gujarat High Court order of 2017. The compensation will be paid from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

The Godhra train burning incident had led to one of the worst riots in the country in which around over 1,000 people, mostly of minority community, were killed in Gujarat in 2002.

Since seven out of the 59 victims remained unidentified till date, a cumulative compensation of Rs 260 lakh would be paid to the kin of the remaining 52 victims, the release said.

The high court had directed the state government as well as Railways to pay compensation to the kin of those killed in the tragedy, it said.

Both the government and the Railways were asked to separately pay Rs 5 lakh to the victims' family members. This way each of the family member would get Rs 10 lakh.

As per the release, 59 persons lost their lives when the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express was torched at Godhra Railway Station on February 27, 2002.