Testimony of a mother of three sons who were acquitted in the Godhra train carnage case
By TCN News,
Bibi Khatoon’s three sons were arrested for the Godhra train burning. After spending nine years in jail a Special Court today acquitted them. Who will give them back their 9 years? The following is the testimony of their mother Khatoon at a public hearing held just a day before the verdict – on 21st February 2011 in Ahmedabad—Editor
I am Bibi Khatoon from Godhara district, Gujarat. But my village Rahmat Nagar is actually 4 km away from Godhara. I have three sons named, Shamsher Khan, 34 yrs. (has two sons); Siddique Khan, 23 yrs. (has one daughter); and Nasir Khan, 18 yrs. (Unmarried)
Bibi Khatoon
On February 27, 2002 Sabarmati Express was incinerated, about which I did not have any clue. On the same day, in evening, the police came in plain clothes to our area. There was anxiety, fear among the residents and they were rushing here and there to hide themselves from the police because the police could catch any body on mere suspicion and then they would be bearing immense torture in the police custody. One neighbour of my came to me and said, “Khalajaan, even your son will be picked up by the police”. Then police came to my house, at about 5:30 PM and took away my children. I kept on asking why they were taking my children, what sin they have committed, but no one paid any heed to the tears of this mother. I was only told that within few hours they would be released. Eleven other people were also arrested from Rahmat Nagar on that day. They have been in jail for the past 7 years. Police was in plain clothes.
One day, someone came to our house and said that my children had been arrested under POTA. I asked him what is POTA. He did not know either. My husband was in the market at the time and he got to know about POTA from someone in the market. When he came back home, he found me fainted. From that day on, he was with me for four more years, after which he passed away.
My children were tortured in jail. We used to visit our children in jail. One day, my eldest son asked me to bring food for them. On my next visit I took a tiffin box for them, but the police officer threw it away, scattering the entire meal on the floor. My son asked again for food and some clothes. Once again, the police officer did not allow me to deliver the food to my sons. They did not however, raise any objections to the clothes.
Later, two of my younger sons were moved somewhere else but my eldest son remained in the same jail. We were not informed where they had been moved to. We kept on searching for them. After 15 days, when I met my eldest son, he told me that even he did not know where the other two had been taken. Two days later my eldest son was also moved. For three months we had no information about them. One day I received a letter from my eldest son in which it was mentioned that they were in Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad. In his letter, he asked us to visit them in jail and also to bring some clothes for them. My husband and I, along with the wives and children of my sons, went to visit them in jail. My youngest son was still unmarried.
I do not have any idea that in what cases they are being booked. They never told me about any torture, perhaps fearing of that I would not be able to bear it because I remain sick. The only thing I know about the case is that now a petition is pending in Supreme Court.
I beg the jury members to do something to get rid of the false charges put on my sons under POTA. Once POTA is repealed, all the innocent people who are in jail, have suffered lot of physical and mental torture and whose lives have almost been ruined in jail, will finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief.
I have been forced by my circumstances to start begging on the streets and my two daughter-in-laws work as domestic help in order to keep our house running. Both of them get total of Rs. 300 per month. When my grand children demand for anything I always find myself in dilemma and guilt because I cannot fulfill even small demands of theirs which could bring smile on their lips. We do not even have enough money to hire a lawyer for my children.
Once POTA is repealed, mothers will get their children back and wives will get their husbands back in Godhra. It is very difficult to stay alive like this. I request you all distinguished people to help us in this matter.