2002 riots: CISF deployed to protect witnesses

A section of the CISF personnel has been deployed as pickets where the concentration of the witnesses is high like Naroda Patia,one of the worst-hit areas,they said.

Others will be deputed to provide protection to witnesses when they go to the court for trial in places like Mehsana,Od,Anand and even in Ahmedabad,the officials said.

Witnesses have time and again complained that they have been threatened by accused in the riot cases and those associated with them. SIT officials,however,said they have not come across any major complaint of threats to witnesses after the trial started. Earlier also,one platoon of the paramilitary security force had been deployed for protection of the witnesses,the officials said.

“Besides CISF and State Reserve Police Force,local police have also been roped in for protection of the witnesses of 2002 riot cases,”the SIT officials said.

The SIT has implemented a detailed witness protection scheme which involves the state as well as central forces.

An officer of the rank of SP has been deputed as in-charge of witness protection and to coordinate with SIT members and its head R K Raghavan.