Godhra

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[SAPAC_Chicago] FYI FWD: urgent from dunu roy - Shashi Menon

The original request sent out by Dunu Roy of Hazards center to get some experts for investigating the godhra case..

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Wed, 11 Aug 2004 22:13:35 -0700


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    From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
    Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2004 23:21:18 EDT
    Subject: Fwd: urgent from dunu roy
    To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
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    My friend Dunu Roy from Delhi (of the Hazards Centre) has sent out the attached urgent appeal for help in regard to Godhra. I am trying to locate a person in India who would have some Railroad knowledge. However, he is looking for people in India or in the US who can help in  technical sense in the areas outlined. We should help this process because we need to know what really happened at Godhra. If you know of a person or persons who can help, let me know or let Dunu know with information copied to me.
    
    Thanks,
    Harinder
    


    > ATTACHMENT part 2 message/rfc822
    Date: Wed, 04 Aug 2004 15:28:13 +0530
    From: qadeeroy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
    Subject: urgent from dunu roy
    To: Girish Sant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Harinder Lamba <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
    Harsh Kapoor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Harsh Mander <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
    Himanshu Thakkar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
    Indur Shivdasani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
    Jamal Kidwai <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
    Janak Daftari <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
    Javed Anand <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
    Jimmy R Isaac <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
    Jitendra Bhatia <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Juzer Vasi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
    Kanwal Rekhi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Kirtee Shah <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
    Larry Malarkar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

    GODHRA - URGENT APPEAL FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
    
    As many of you perhaps know, the burning of onne of the coaches of the Sabarmati Express at Godhra over two years ago, is now pending before a designated POTA court. In addition, the Nanavati-Shah Commission has also been conducting enquiries into the Godhra incidents and the post-Godhra killings. Furthermore, the Railway Minister has recently announced a departmental enquiry into the episode.
    
    The police theory is that the coach was flooded with 140 litres of petrol spread on the floor, and this was ignited by a burning rag. However, testimonies of passengers, policemen, and others before the Nanavati-Shah Commission have testified that they saw no petrol on the floor. The report of the Gujerat State Forensic Sciences Laboratory also categorically states that petrol was not used to set fire to the coach. Hence, the critical question remains, what was the cause of the fire? This question is at the heart of the raging debate around the violence in Gujerat.
    
    There are two favourable circumstances at the moment. Firstly, there is now a lot of evidence available in the public domain from the Nanavati-Shah Commission depositions as well as the trial court proceedings. Secondly, with the setting up of a Railway enquiry, more information can be unearthed from Railway sources. Hence, some of us have decided to set up a completely independent and scientific committee to look into the evidence and produce a technical report on the possible causes of the fire, which could be used by all concerned parties to unearth the truth.
    
    For this committee to function competently, we urgently require the following expertise:
    1. A person with experience in the design and manufacture of railway coaches with a good understanding of what inflammable materials are used for different parts of the coach.
    2. A person with detailed knowledge of polymer chemistry who can provide information on what toxic gases are released when materials such as butadiene rubber, polyvinyl chloride, rexine, polystyrene, paraffin cloth etc. are burnt and what are the physico-chemical properties of these toxins.
    3. A person with expertise in fires and fire safety who can interpret how fires spread and what is the cause of the damage.
    
    As you will understand, there is no remuneration involved although we shall be able to meet basic travel and lodging costs. Individuals staying in or near Delhi would obviously be preferred. I am sure that within our large network of friends with a good technical background, we shall be able to find individuals with the required degree of knowledge and scientific curiosity to be able to unravel this puzzle.
    
    Please do let me know as soon as possible (and that means tomorrow!) of anybody you know who fits the bill. You could also circulate this message to other friends who might be able to help in the search. But time is of the essence.
    
    I look forward to hearing from you.
    All the best
    Dunu<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->