Ahmedabad: Former Director General of Gujarat Police, K Chakravarthy today (Aug 17, 2004) said posting Muslim policemen at communally sensitive areas during post-Godhra riots could have curbed communal riots but was unsure whether this recommendation of his was considered by the State Government. "I did feel posting Muslim police officers in communally sensitive areas could have curbed the riots and I had also conveyed this suggestion to the Home Department during a meeting," Chakravarthy told Justice G T Nanavati and Justice K G Shah, of the two-man inquiry commission probing Godhra train carnage and its aftermath.

"However, I am not sure whether this suggestion was considered by the State Government," Chakravarthy said as his cross-examination that began yesterday (Aug 16, 2004), was completed today.

The former Director General of Police, who had yesterday said that he was not consulted on many important decisions like slapping POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) on Godhra train carnage accused, transfers of several senior police officials or transfer of officials investigating the Godhra train carnage, was being examined by Vadodara-based advocate Daima Kumar.

Meanwhile, more instances of poor communication between police and 'oversight' of a top cop emerged when the ex-DGP was being cross-examined by Jan Sangharsh Manch advocate Mukul Sinha.

Deposing before the panel, the then Ahmedabad city police commissioner P C Pandey said that he was unaware of the time of the two fax messages sent by the Additional DG (Intelligence) about the arrival of 58 bodies of Kar sevaks from Godhra.

Sinha produced two different faxes sent by the then Additional DG that clearly stated that bodies were to be brought from Godhra.

On being asked if he had received these two messages and remembered the time if received, Pandey said that he was not sure of the specific time but added that his office would have received it. Pandey, who had stated in his affidavit that the communal situation in Ahmedabad was `explosive historically' and had compared to a `tinderbox', said that he had anticipated the situation to turn bad once the bodies arrived.

He, however, said he was unaware as to who took the decision to send the bodies to Ahmedabad and why.