2002 Gujarat riots

Main article: 2002 Gujarat riots

On 27 February 2002, a train with several hundred passengers burned near Godhra, killing
approximately 60 people.[h] The train carried a large number of Hindu pilgrims returning
from Ayodhya after a religious ceremony at the site of the demolished Babri Masjid.[91][92] In making
a public statement after the incident, Modi declared it a terrorist attack planned and orchestrated
by local Muslims.[10][91][93] The next day, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad called for a bandh across the
state.[94][95] Riots began during the bandh, and anti-Muslim violence spread through Gujarat.[91][94]
[95]
 The government's decision to move the bodies of the train victims from Godhra to Ahmedabad
further inflamed the violence.[91][96] The state government stated later that 790 Muslims and 254
Hindus were killed.[97] Independent sources put the death toll at over 2000. [91][98] Approximately
150,000 people were driven to refugee camps.[99] Numerous women and children were among the
victims; the violence included mass rapes and mutilations of women. [9][100]