Zakia Jafri, widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, passed away on February 1, 2025.
A survivor of the 2002 Gujarat pogrom, she spent decades seeking justice for the brutal killing of her husband, who was lynched by a Hindutva mob during the violence in Gujarat’s Gulbarg Society.
Human rights activist Teesta Setalvad announced her death on social media, calling her a “compassionate leader” in the struggle for justice.
Zakia Jafri’s legal battle began in 2006 when she filed a complaint against then-Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders, alleging their complicity in the massacre.
Her case led to a Supreme Court-mandated reinvestigation and the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
The Gulbarg Society killings, among the most horrific episodes of the pogrom, highlighted the failure of authorities to protect victims, as noted in the report by the Concerned Citizens Tribunal.
Despite her relentless pursuit of accountability, the Supreme Court in 2022 dismissed her plea challenging the SIT’s clean chit to Modi and others.
However, she remained undeterred, continuing to question power until her final days.