Statement Condemning the murder of Gulnaz Khatun and demanding a speedy investigation

We the undersigned feminist groups, activists and individuals are deeply anguished at the killing of a 20-year-old poor Muslim girl, Gulnaz in a village in Bihar‘s Vaishali district. The young girl, an economic support to the family and about to be married was killed after her stalkers poured kerosene oil on her and burnt her alive on 30 October 2020. The girl was admitted in a nearby hospital with 75 percent burns and later moved to Patna Medical College. In her video statement when she was in excruciating pain, she clearly identified the three attackers. She succumbed to her injuries on 15th November 2020. The case has made hardly any progress. There is very limited coverage about the case in electronic Media and print media. According to the reports one accused has been arrested and police is still looking for the other two.. There are also reports that the family of victim is being harassed by the accused.

Since the last many months, we are not only witnessing an increase in crimes and violence against women across class, caste and religion. The total apathy, insensitiveness and bias against the communities to which victims belong, silence of political dispensation which gives a total impunity to police in such cases, and most of these victims of violence are from very poor and marginalised communities, so marginalised even to elicit any response from the civil society, leading to silence on such brutalities. But the unprecedented and disturbing trend of the police functioning with total impunity, not registering FIRs and cremating bodies against the wishes of the family is something that has to stop.

The impunity with which police is functioning is unfortunately not an entirely new phenomenon.  Under the current political regime, the Police is indeed the arm of the State, the arm of Brahminical Casteist State with Hindutva as its ideology. On paper, the Police is the first and most important state agency to whom people go to for the redressal of their complaints. If their complaints are not registered, cases are not pursued and investigated with diligence, sincerity and with a sense of accountability, then there is no hope for justice for the people especially poor and the marginalised. But the Police in this case and in others, has done everything in its power to deny justice to the survivors and their families.

We are also aghast at the toothless existence of the National Commission for Women and the State Commission for Women which have to be urged to do their job, and take cognisance of the violence that they were set up to counter in the first place.

It is highly disturbing that there have been no assurances from the newly elected government of Bihar that justice will be done to Gulnaz. And it is not a coincidence that the case was not brought to light before the polling got over in Bihar. The role of media remains unnerving and distressing with its selective and opportune sensationalizing of the cases of violence against women.

There is no public information on where the case stands today. Whether there have been arrests of the accused and where does the investigation stand? We strongly urge the Central and State government to take cognisance of this case as it is not just a matter one Gulnaz, but that the silence and impunity to police and the culprits will only contribute to increase in violence on women resulting in more control on their freedom, mobility and opportunities in life..

We strongly demand:

• All culprits be arrested soon

• Victim’s family should be protected.

• Victim’s family be paid compensation for the loss.

• The government must ensure fair and speedy investigation and trial in fast track court.

• The police officers who have failed to act should be held accountable by due process.

Endorsed by 

Bebaak Collective voice of fearless,  Mumbai.

Forum Against Oppression of Women

Saheli, Delhi

Awaaz-e-Niswaan

Teesta Setalvad, Mumbai.

Khairunnisha, Parwaaz Sanstha.

 Uma chakravarti, Historian, Delhi

 Sandhya Gokhale, Activist, Mumbai.

Ram Puniyani, Center for Study of Society and Secularism.

Vani Subramanian, Independent Film-maker, New Delhi

Javed Anand, Journalist Activist, Mumbai

Gabriele Dietrich, Pennurimai Iyakkam, TN

Rohini Hensman, Writer and Researcher Mumbai

Nandita Gandhi, Akshara, Mumbai

Brinelle D’souza, TISS, JCoR, JSA-MUMBAI

Sophia khan, Ahmedabad

Arundhati Dhuru NAPM

Richa Rastogi Humsafar Lucknow

Manjula Pradeep, Ahmedabad

WAYVE Foundation.

Amrita Nandy, Delhi

Researcher Ujwala Mhatre , Mumbai

Vandana Mahajan

Abha bhaiya , Delhi

 Rajashri Dasgupta on behalf of Sachetana, Kolkata

Dyuti ,PhD Researcher, Social Anthropology, University of Sussex

Raynah Braganza Passanha, Indian Women Theologians Forum

Virginia Saldanha, Indian Christian Women’s Movement

Amrita Shodhan, Hong Kong

Prabha Kotiswaran, King’s College London

Sheba George , Ahmedabad

Sabah Khan , Mumbai

Simantini Dhuru, Film Maker, Mumbai

Vrijendra , Mumbai.

Kamayani Bali Mahabal, Feminist and Human Rights Activist.

Pragnya Joshi, Consultant, Research & Training for Gender & Development.

Anuradha Pati, Sandhya Phadke Mumbai.

Johanna Lokhande , Pune.

Irfan Engineer, Mumbai.

Meera Sanghamitra, National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM)

Lara Jesani, Advocate, Mumbai

Nisha Biswas

Aruna Burte, Concerned citizen

D.W. Karuna, Individual

 D.W Karina,  Individual

Samira Nadkarni, Individual

Prabha Nagaraja (She/Her/Hers) Executive Director

 Bittu, THITS, WSS

Shewli Kumar, Associate Professor, Centre for Women Centred TISS Mumbai.

Kavin Malar, Vineeta Bal, Pune

Swatija Paranjape,  Ahmedabad

Parwaaj Sanghatan, Ahmedabad

Hiren Gandhi , DARSHAN Organization, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Dr Saroop Dhruv, DARSHAN Organization, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Monisha Behal, Northeast Network

Manisha Gupte, Feminist Activist

Sana Contractor, Independent Researcher Delhi.

Jinat Rehana Islam, Feminist .com

Bilal Khan, Ghar Bachao, Ghar Banao, Andolan.

 Anita Dhole, Ghar Bachao, Ghar Banao, Andolan.

Jameela Begum, Ghar Bachao, Ghar Banao, Andolan.

Seema Baquer, Cross Disability Professional. Delhi

Sunita Sheel, Pune

Anuradha Kapoor, Swayam Kolkata.

Johana Lokhande, Pune.

Sandali Thakur, Independent Researcher, Pune

Kouchurani Abraham, Kerala

Muniza Khan, Human Rights Activists, Varanasi.

Hameeda Khatun, Youth Activist, UP

Anam Mitra, Mariwala Health Initiative, Delhi

Reshma Aura, Baroda

Chhaya Dattar, Retired Professor from Women Studies, TISS

Maya Parmod, Research Scholar, Writer Kerala.

Sangita Rege, Health Researcher, Mumbai.

Samira Nadkarni, Mumbai.

Hritik Lalan, Mumbai

Sofiya Khan, Ahmedabad

Nikhat Khan, Bhopal

Geeta Thackra, Benglore.

Sadhna Arya, Saheli, Deli

Vani Subarmanyan, Film Maker, Delhi.

 Julie Gorge, Advocate.

Aruna Bhute, Concerned Citizen

Sunita Bagal Feminist Activist, Mumbai

Sadab Jahan, Muzzuffarnagr.

Kehkasha Beg, Video Volunteer, Lucknow.

Zeenab Siddique, Gender Rights Activist Lucknow.

Samina Deewan, Ahmedabad.

Shabana Diler Agricultural Activists Pune.

Pushali Basat Feminist Activist Mumbai.

Saba Khan, Mumbai.

Bittu Kondaih, Hyderabad.

Amarjit Singh, Mumbai.

Amrita Howlie, Kolkata.

Aleyamma Vijayan Secretary, Sakhi Women’s Resource Center, Trivandrum, Kerala.

Rita Puthenkalam, IWTF

Aleyamma Joseph

Gracy Fernandes

Palashi Vaghela PHD Scholar, Cornel University, Canada

Dr. Asma Rasheed, Assistant Professor, EFL University Hyderabad.