Zakia Jafri, Human Rights Advocate and Widow of 2002 Gujarat Riots Victim, Dies at 86

Jafri, known for her legal battle seeking accountability for the Gujarat riots, passed away at her daughter's home in Ahmedabad.

Zakia Jafri was the widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, who was killed alongside 68 others in the 2002 Gujarat riots at Gulbarg Society in Ahmedabad.
She dedicated years to a legal fight alleging a larger conspiracy behind the riots, including accusations against then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and others.
Her petition led to the Supreme Court forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which ultimately gave Modi and 63 others a clean chit in 2012, citing lack of prosecutable evidence.
In 2022, the Supreme Court dismissed her appeal challenging the SIT’s findings, calling it devoid of merit.
Jafri passed away at the age of 86 while visiting her daughter's home in Ahmedabad; her death was confirmed by her son, Tanveer Jafri.