Godhra Convict Caught After Theft Spree in Pune

A convict from the infamous Godhra train carnage case, who absconded while on parole, was apprehended in Pune for multiple thefts. Salim Jarda, sentenced to life imprisonment, had been evading capture since September 2024 before being arrested in January 2025, revealing his continued criminal activities.

A key figure in the notorious Godhra train carnage case, serving a life sentence, has been apprehended by authorities in Maharashtra's Pune district. The convict, Salim Jarda, initially jumped parole and evaded authorities, was involved in a theft case leading to his unexpected arrest.

Jarda, who was among 31 individuals handed life sentences for the Godhra train carnage, took advantage of a parole release on September 17, 2024, to escape. His apprehension came on January 22, 2025, by the Pune rural police during the investigation of thefts in rural Pune, unearthing his hidden criminal undertakings.

Inspector Dinesh Tayde of the Alephata police station disclosed that Jarda, with his gang, orchestrated multiple theft operations while his past crimes linked him to the burning of the Sabarmati Express coach in Godhra in 2002, resulting in the tragic deaths of 59 individuals.