Godhra cleric Umarji dies at 73

Ahmedabad : Maulana Umarji, who was alleged to be the mastermind of the 2002 Godhra train burning incident, died at his home in Godhra on Sunday. The 73-year-old cleric was acquitted by a special trial court in Ahmedabad along with 62 others in 2011. He is survived by his wife and 13 children.

“Maulana was not keeping well for last many months and breathed his last at 9:20 pm. His four sons and other family members were by his side,” Maqsud Hathila, a family friend, said. Sources said the cleric was diabetic and had also been affected by paralysis.

Umarji, accused to be the main conspirator of the burning of a coach of Sabarmati Express at Godhra, was arrested on February 27, 2002.