Who is Zakia Jafri? Woman Who Challenged Investigation Of 2002 Gujarat Riots

Who is Zakia Jafri: The widow of Ehsan Jafri, the late political member of Congress who was killed in the violence at Gulberg Society in Ahmedabad in the 2002 Gujarat riots, Zakia Jafri has been battling for justice for the last 20 years. In the Supreme court hearing, she challenged the Special Investigation Team (SIT)'s incomplete investigation of the riots and clean chit to then Chief Minister of the state Narendra Modi.

In the court hearing, the 81-year-old questioned how the investigating team could file a closure report without recording statements, seizing phones or checking the source of bomb manufacturing.

The SIT had submitted a closure report in February 2012 citing "no prosecutable evidence" which gave a clean chit to Narendra Modi and 63 others.

In the court, former Union Minister and advocate Kapil Sibal is arguing the case on behalf of Zakia Jafri. "People were massacred because of police inaction...I just want the matter to be investigated...This is all about law and order and rights of individuals," said Sibal while arguing the case.

Zakia Jafri's husband was one of the 68 people killed at the Gulberg Society, a middle and upper-class residential colony in north Ahmedabad on February 28, 2002. It is the day after the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express was burnt at Godhra which led to the riots across Gujarat. The couple took shelter with their neighbours as a mob attacked the colony, when Ehsan Jafri stepped out to ask for mercy he was killed. Zakia was saved as she stayed hidden on the first floor.

Zakia Jafri has been fighting the case since 2006. After the SIT report was filed, her protest plea was finally heard but the closure report by the SIT was accepted by the Magistrate court and her plea was rejected. She did not stop there and went seeking justice to the Supreme Court who were supposed to hear her plea on November 19 but postponed it to November 26 saying that the matter will take some time.

(Feature Image Credit: The Hindu)

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