38 get death sentence in India over 2008 Ahmedabad bombings

By Shuriah Niazi

NEW DELHI (AA) - A special court in western India sentenced 38 out of 49 convicts to death on Friday for a series of bombings that shook the city of Ahmedabad in 2008.

The court in the state of Gujarat announced its verdict after almost 13 years, with the remaining 11 convicted to serve life sentences in prison.

It had acquitted 28 other accused in the case for a lack of evidence against them.

Special Judge A R Patel announced a compensation of 100,000 Indian rupees ($1,336) to the family members of those killed in the blasts.

The Indian Mujahideen (IM), then an unknown organization, had claimed responsibility for the attacks. It was alleged that the bombings were planned and executed as revenge for religious riots in the state in 2002.

The special judge had declared 49 guilty verdicts under various offenses, including murder, sedition, and waging war against the state, as well as under offenses of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act which deals with terrorism.

Those convicted included Safdar Nagori, former head of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Javed Ahmed, and Atikur Rehman.

On July 26, 2008, at least 21 bomb blasts in a span of 70 minutes in Ahmedabad, the commercial city of Gujarat, killed 57 people and injured over 200.

Gujarat, which is the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, witnessed religious riots in 2002 that killed more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims.