Published :Thursday, 2 June, 2016, Time : 12:00 AM View Count : 14
AHMEDABAD, June 1 : An Indian court is expected to deliver its verdict on Thursday on 62 people accused of a massacre during religious riots which swept Gujarat state 14 years ago, a prosecutor said. They are charged with murder, rioting, criminal conspiracy and arson over the deaths of 69 Muslims sheltering in a residential complex in the city of Ahmedabad. The riots have long dogged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who as chief minister of the state was accused of turning a blind eye to the pogrom in which more than 1,000 people died. Public prosecutor RC Kodekar said a verdict was expected on Thursday following a drawn-out trial that has been delayed for so long by appeals that six of the original accused have died. Kodekar said on Wednesday he was seeking life in prison for all 62 accused of storming the Gulbarg Society complex, hacking to death and burning the Muslims hiding there. ?AFP