Zakia Jafri, a well-known activist who fought for justice after the 2002 Gujarat riots, passed away on Sunday. She was the widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, who was killed in the Gulbarg Society massacre during the riots.
Teesta Setalvad, a human rights activist and longtime supporter of Zakia Jafri, shared the news on social media. “Zakia Appa, a compassionate leader, passed away just 30 minutes ago. Her presence will be missed by the nation, family, friends, and the world,” she wrote.
For years, Zakia Jafri fought a legal battle, alleging that the Gujarat riots were planned and that the state government, led by then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi, was responsible. In 2012, a Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) cleared Modi of wrongdoing. Zakia Jafri challenged this in court, but in June 2022, the Supreme Court upheld the SIT’s decision and dismissed her plea.
Despite the court’s ruling, she remained determined. “I have lost my husband, but I will not stop fighting for justice,” she had once said.
