Attack
On the 27th of February, the Sabarmati Express made its scheduled stop at Godhra about 4 hours late, at 7:43 am. As it started leaving the platform, the emergency brake was engaged by members of the mob, bringing the train to a halt. The coupling between the bogies S-6 and S-7 was subsequently cut and the doors of the bogeys were locked from outside, preventing the kar Sevak from escaping. The bogeys were then set on fire. While the passengers in S-7 managed to extinguish the flames and get out of the compartment, those trapped in S-6 were unable to escape and were burnt to death. The occupants of S-7 were then confronted by the violent mob outside and some were killed. The whole attack lasted about 25 minutes.
A few hours later, at 11:00 am on 27 February 2002, Sabarmati Express passengers and police were attacked for a second time near line number 10 of Godhra railway yard. As a result, seven policemen were injured. Two people were killed in police firing.
Read more about this topic: Godhra Train Burning
Famous quotes containing the word attack:
“I make this direct statement to the American people that there is far less chance of the United States getting into war, if we do all we can now to support the nations defending themselves against attack by the Axis than if we acquiesce in their defeat, submit tamely to an Axis victory, and wait our turn to be the object of attack in another war later on.”
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)
“Hence that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.”
—Sun Tzu (6th–5th century B.C.)
“... possibly there is no needful occupation which is wholly unbeautiful. The beauty of work depends upon the way we meet it—whether we arm ourselves each morning to attack it as an enemy that must be vanquished before night comes, or whether we open our eyes with the sunrise to welcome it as an approaching friend who will keep us delightful company all day, and who will make us feel, at evening, that the day was well worth its fatigues.”
—Lucy Larcom (1824–1893)