 On 17 March 2002, chief suspect Haji Bilal, a local town councillor and a Congress worker, was captured by an anti-terrorist squad in Godhra.The FIR had alleged that a 1540-strong mob attacked the Sabarmati Express on 27 February, minutes after the delayed train left the Godhra station on the day of the incident.The president of Godhra municipality, Mohammed Hussain Kalota, was arrested in March.