Gujarat riots: India court convicts 24 over Gulbarg massacre

 court in India has found 24 people guilty of involvement in
one of the most notorious massacres during the 2002 anti-
Muslim riots in Gujarat.
The special court acquitted 36 others in the so-called Gulbarg
Society killings in Ahmedabad city.
Activists and riot survivors have expressed "disappointment"
and said they would challenge the verdict.
A mob attacked the Gulbarg Society complex, hacking and
burning 69 people to death.
The riots were among the worst since Indian independence.
More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, died after a train fire
killed 60 Hindu pilgrims.
Muslims were blamed for starting the train fire, and Hindu
mobs eager for revenge went on the rampage through Muslim
neighbourhoods in towns and villages across Gujarat during
three days of violence that followed.
Critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the state
chief minister at the time, say he did little to stop the riots.
In pictures: Inside Gulbarg Society
The Gulbarg residential complex in Ahmedabad was one of
the targets where many Muslims were burnt to death and their
properties set on fire.
On Thursday, 11 people were convicted of murder in
connection with the attack, while the others were found guilty
of lesser charges.
Among those convicted is a local leader of the hardline Hindu
group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
Sentencing is scheduled for Monday.
Gulbarg Society killings
69 people died in the attack on 28 February 2002
Bungalows and flats in the society were looted and burnt
66 people were accused in connection with the massacre
- six died before and during the trial and one is still being
sought by police
The trial began on 7 September 2009
338 witnesses, including eight women, were examined
Judge PB Desai said there was no evidence that the attack
was planned and dropped charges of criminal conspiracy
against the accused.
Ehsan Jafri, a prominent Muslim politician and a former
Congress party MP, was among those killed.
Survivors of the Gulbarg massacre say he fired his gun in self-
defence as the mob attacked the complex.
Zakia Jafri, the MP's widow, says her husband called Mr Modi
for help but it never came.
After the verdict, Mrs Jafri said she was "disappointed" with
the outcome, calling it an instance of "half justice".
Activist Teesta Setalvad, who was one of those who filed the
case, said they would appeal the verdict in the high court and
Supreme Court if necessary and would not give up their
"struggle".
Mr Modi has always denied any wrongdoing and has not
apologised for the riots. A Supreme Court panel also refused
to prosecute him in 2013, citing insufficient evidence.
The violence was initially investigated by the Gujarat police
and subsequently by an independent Special Investigation
Team (SIT) appointed by the Supreme Court in 2008.
The Gulbarg massacre was among 10 key incidents in the riots
being investigated by the SIT.
Some of these cases have brought convictions.
In August 2012, a court sentenced 31 people, including
Maya Kodnani, an ex-minister and aide to the then chief
minister Narendra Modi, to life for their part in murdering
97 people in Naroda Patiya, a suburb of Ahmedabad. Ms
Kodnani was granted bail on health grounds in 2014.
In April 2012, a court sentenced 18 people to life
imprisonment for the murder of 23 Muslims in Ode village
in Anand district. Five others were given seven years and
another 23 were acquitted.
In November 2011, a court sentenced 31 people to life in
prison for burning to death 33 Muslims near Sardarpura
village.