Friday, September 2 2005 16:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Godhra: One more person was arrested today (Sept 2, 2005) in connection with Godhra train carnage on February 27, 2002, police said.

The accused was identified as Hanif alias Honey Abdullah Badam, a resident of signal Falia area at Godhra town adjoining the railway station, police said.

Badam was absconding since the Sabarmati train carnage incident and police managed to nab him while he was sneaking into his house in the wee hours, police added.

With this, police has arrested 109 persons in this case while 27 are still absconding.

Officials said that Badam was allegedly part of the violent crowd that pelted stones at the Sabarmati Express train and particularly at the S-6 coach killing 59 kar sevaks.

Police sad that Badam also was involved in facilitating the escape of Salim Panwala, a key accused person in this case, from Godhra town last year when the crowd pelted stones at police and helped panwala escape from his own house.

Badam is also an accused person in a stone-pelting incident that occurred a few hours after the train carnage incident in Godhra town itself.

Among those arrested include a Godhra-based cleric Maulana Hussain Umarji who police say is the prime conspirator of the train carnage case while several members of the 'core group' that allegedly executed the attack on the train have also been arrested.