Two companies of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) have been deployed in the state for security of witnesses in the nine cases relating to the 2002 riots, including the Godhra train burning, being probed afresh by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT).

The move follows a Supreme Court direction last year that central forces should provide security to witnesses of the 2002 riots and also the train burning cases. “Now, when the trial has begun, two companies (around 220 men) of CISF have been deployed for protection of the witnesses of the nine cases being investigated by the SIT," SIT officials said on Tuesday.

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.

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