When the 2002 Gujarat riots broke out on 28 February 2002 , Sharma was the Superintendent of Police ( SP ) in Bhavnagar district , heading a 180-strong police force . He became widely known as one of the few district police chiefs to have " responded vigorously " to control the violence . On the third day of the violence ( 2 March ) , a mob of about 10,000 people tried to set fire to a madrasa on the outskirts of Bhavnagar , a residential Muslim school sheltering 400 students . Sharma issued orders to open fire on the mob , causing injuries and some fatalities , thereby dispersing the mob and averting a disaster . Subsequently , he transferred the children to a safer location inside the city . His timely action was praised by L. K. Advani , the then Union Home Minister , in India 's Parliament as well as in his autobiography . On the other hand , Narendra Modi , the then Chief Minister of Gujarat , was angry , according to Kingshuk Nag , complaining that he was " trying to seek cheap publicity and act like a hero . " Sharma 's actions also angered the state home minister Gordhan Zadafia , who is reported to have said that " the ratio of deaths " due to police firing was " not proper , " meaning that more Hindus than Muslims died due to police firing in Bhavnagar . Sharma also refused to release 21 miscreants arrested for attack on a mosque , as requested by BJP politicians . Local Gujarati newspapers complained that Hindus were not able to avenge the Godhra train burning . Sharma was transferred out of field operations on 24 March and posted as the deputy commissioner of police ( DCP ) in Ahmedabad 's control room
Godhra train burning
Godhra train burning
Rahul Sharma (Gujarat police)