Godhra: The high-powered technical team, led by Justice (retd) UC Banerjee, probing the Godhra train carnage, was temporarily stopped and denied permission to enter the charred S-6 coach for an inspection today (Nov 9, 2004), a police source said in Godhra.

Government Railway Superintendent of Police, A S Gehlot prevented the team from entering the coach and asked if they had got any prior permission to do so as the coach was a key exhibit in the case registered by the Railway police and in the proceedings going on in the POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) court in Ahmedabad, the source said.

The Railways SP said that he had to seek his superior's permission and after doing so from the range Inspector General of Police, the team was allowed to enter and inspect the coach, the sources added.

This is the second inspection that the technical team is conducting after their maiden visit in September.

Earlier, the team, comprising mechanical and fire experts, arrived in the morning to probe the exact cause of the blaze in the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express train in which 59 karsevaks, returning from Ayodhya, were killed on February 27, 2002 just outside Godhra railway station.