Ode massacre: Judge visits scene of carnage with SIT officials

The judge of the trial court in Anand hearing the Ode massacre case visited the village on Saturday and inspected the spot called, Malaav bhagol, where three people were burnt alive during the communal riots of 2002.

He was accompanied by officials of the Supreme Court-appointed special investigation team (SIT) and the parties involved in the case.

The judge visited the spot to have a better understanding of how the incident had taken place. He and officials of the SIT visited the remains of the house where the three people had been burnt alive.

They had brought a map of the village to understand the movements of the accused and the deceased at the time of the incident. In view of the sensitive nature of their visit, police and CISF jawans had been deployed at all the main spots in the village.

On March 1, 2002, three people of the minority community were allegedly burnt alive in a house in the Malaav bhagol area of the village. In another massacre, 23 people were killed in Sureli bhagol area of the same village. Both the incidents had taken place the same day but they are being heard as separate cases. More than 20 people were held in connection with the Malaav bhagol incident but they are all out on bail.

The judge's visit to the village on Saturday was in connection with the Malaav bhagol case.

Following investigation, it was found that a mob of around 20 people had first driven the 3 victims to the Malaav bhagol area before setting them on fire inside a house.