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May 08, 2012

The dreadful afternoon of March 1, 2002

Indian Express

Express news service Posted online: Sat May 05 2012, 09:17 hrs

Ode(Anand) : Three persons of a Muslim (Vohra) family - Ayesha (42), Noori (60) and Kadar (36) — were burnt alive by a mob in the Malav Bhagol locality of Ode town in the afternoon of March 1, 2002.

The incident had happened around 1 pm when a mob, which had started to gather since morning, attacked the house of Noori Vohra where some other Muslims of the locality had taken shelter.

The mob locked the house from outside and set it on fire. Some of them escaped by opening the tin-ceiling of the house and sneaking into neighbouring houses. Ayesha and Noori died in the incident.

Meanwhile, the rioters set ablaze another house in the locality where Kadar Vohra and some others had taken shelter. Unable to bear the heat of melting plastic in the house, Kadar came out. Some people in the mob saw him and called him assuring him of security. However, when Kadar went there, the accused allegedly hit him with a blunt object and then set him on fire. He died on the spot.

The mob had also attacked other Muslim houses in the locality while setting them on fire.

Later, the survivors took shelter at two nearby houses — one of them was uninhabited while the residents of the other were not present. Two of the witnesses stayed there for a couple of days without having water or food. They were rescued by the Army.