Justice for Anjana: Movement Accelerates

CPI(ML), AIPWA, and the Urban Poor Front held a protest at the Gaya Collectorate on 16 January 2019 to demand a CBI enquiry into the horrific Anjana murder case which took place at Patwa Toli, Manpur, Gaya. The Manpur Patwa community joined the protest in large numbers. The Manpur power-loom industry remained fully closed on that day.

The Gaya District administration is trying to cover up its own failures by terming the Anjana murder as a case of ‘honour killing’. Instead of arresting the real culprits, the police have arrested Anjana’s family members and are constantly ill-treating them. The Patwa community and the civil society of Gaya are very angry at this attitude of the District administration. The demand for a CBI enquiry into this matter is becoming stronger every day.

As soon as this brutal incident came to light, a team comprising AIPWA and CPI(ML) leaders had visited Patwa Tola and enquired into the entire matter. After the Gaya police called it an honour killing, comrades Rita Varnawal and Niranjan Kumar again visited the spot on 11 January. They stated that the claim of honour killing by the District administration is totally incorrect. The police have held and taken away Anjana’s parents, grandfather, and even small children of the house as if they were criminals and are keeping them under constant pressure. They are being forced to admit the matter of ‘honour killing’. This attitude of the Gaya police is extremely condemnable, and shows their true intent of shielding the real criminals.

A huge candle march from Manpur to Gaya Tower had earlier been organized on 9 January to demand justice for Anjana which was attended by tens of thousands of people from all sections of society. The demand for a CBI enquiry into this matter is becoming stronger every day. The protest was led by comrades Niranjan Kumar, Rita Varnawal, Rambali Yadav and others.