The tragedy rewinds to the February 27, 2002, Sabarmati Express fire in coach S6, which claimed the lives of 59 people. It has been accused of by many, and some have even been found guilty.
Hindu pilgrims returning from Ayodhya following a religious event at the disputed Babri Masjid made up the majority of the victims. After six years of investigation, the commission appointed by the Gujarati government came to the conclusion that a mob was responsible for the fire.
Although the precise causes of the fire have not yet been established beyond a reasonable doubt, a court found 31 Muslims guilty of both the massacre and the conspiracy to commit the crime.
On October 9, 2017, the Gujarat High Court convicted 11 of the prisoners to death and sentenced the remaining 20 to life in prison.
Many believe that the incident set off the subsequent riots in Gujarat, which left many dead, destroyed property, and left people homeless. The official numbers estimated that there were up to 2,000 casualties, with 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus among the anticipated casualties.