Tuesday, December 27 2005 18:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: Relatives of victims of the 2002 communal violence in Gujarat today (Dec 27, 2005) claimed to have exhumed skeletal remains from a mass grave in Panchamahal district of those believed to have been killed in the post-Godhra riots.

While police could not give details of the incident, Teesta Setalvad, an activist who runs an NGO, Citizens for Justice and Peace, said the bodies might be of those who were killed during the post-Godhra riots in Pandharwada village. The grave is located near Panam river in Lunavada village.

Sohail, a social worker hailing from Lunavada, said that though the exact number of bodies buried in the grave was not known, the relatives have recovered eight skulls and excavacation was on in the area for more bodies. When contacted, Gujarat DGP A K Bhargava said he did not have any information about the digging of the grave, which he was trying to ascertain.

Superintendent of Panchamahal District Police, J K Bhatt, said he was sending a team of officials and could say something only after he heard from his team.

Setalvad, who has taken up the cases of families of victims of post-Godhra violence in various courts including the Supreme Court, said she would move the Gujarat High Court in this regard.

Riaz Khan, Field Coordinator for Teesta's NGO, who hails from the village concerned, said the relatives had dug the spot and found numerous skeletons and clothes which they suspect may have belonged to their relatives who were killed during the violence.

He said they had informed the local police about the 'findings'.

Setalvad said her writ petition in the High Court tomorrow would seek reinvestigation of the whole case, which should be handed over to CBI.