Godhra riots witness stabbed 28 times to death in broad daylight

08:32AM Sat 5 Nov, 2011

Ahmedabad - 05 Nov 2011: Nadeem Saiyed, a witness in one of the most gruesome post-Godhra massacres of Naroda Patia in 2002 and an RTI activist, was brutally murdered in Juhapura area of Ahmedabad on Saturday morning. He was stabbed 28 times by four men in broad daylight, allegedly for providing information on illegal slaughter of cattle to the police.

Saiyed was rushed to V S Hospital where he was declared brought dead. Family members of the victim said he had been given police protection because he was a witness in a sensitive case, but he had told the cops he did not need security all the time. He took the cops with him only when he moved out of Juhapura, a Muslim ghetto.

A Congress worker, Saiyed had visited the Shah Alam relief camp in 2002 after the Naroda Patia massacre where a riot survivor had given him a mobile phone belonging to a key accused in the massacre. Saiyed had given the phone to the police and his statement had already been recorded. As many as 95 people were killed on February 28, 2002 at Naroda Patia.

Saiyed had also filed an FIR in August alleging that gangster Mehboob Senior had threatened to kill him if he did not change his statement in the Naroda Patia case.

On October 29, a mob in Juhapura had set a police jeep on fire when the cops had gone there after receiving information that an illegal slaughter house was operating in the area. Two policemen were injured in the violence and some five men were arrested. Sources said, Saiyed had approached the police saying they had not arrested the right men and that the real culprits were roaming free, after which he was killed.

The Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act 2011 became effective from October 24. The Act imposes a complete ban on cow slaughter besides transportation and selling of beef. It was passed in the state Assembly. Under the Act, those involved in cow-slaughter and related activities can be subjected to imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of Rs 50,000.

source: TOI