Godhra: Majority community members held chantings, 'yagna' and morning prayers for peace on February 27 morning amidst tight security, marking the first anniversary of Godhra train carnage, even as Shiv Sena-sponsored bandh evoked partial response.

Senior leaders of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, (VHP), including Praveen Togadia, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MLA) from Godhra Haresh Bhatt and state level leader of VHP Dalip Trivedi participated in the 'shanti path' and 'shanti yagna' at Lalbagh Tikri ground.

Togadia also visited the ill-fated S-6 coach and paid rich tributes to those killed in the carnage at the coach site.

No untoward incident was reported from any part so far, police control said.

59 Ram sevaks were killed and scores of others injured when a frenzied mob allegedly set fire to in S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express at Godhra station on February 27, 2002.

Majority community members downed their shutters in response to the bandh, called by 14 associations of people belonging to majority community, including VHP and Shiv Sena.

The Gujarat government had beefed up security with the deployment of police and paramilitary personnel all over the state in view of the various programmes to be held by VHP and the bandh.

In the communally sensitive Godhra town of Panchmahals district, more than 150 personnel of district Border Wing Home Guards and Railway police have been deployed.

PTI