New Delhi, In a passionate call for justice, the sole eyewitness of the Bilkis Bano case has asserted that only the hanging or life imprisonment of the convicted individuals will bring true justice. This statement comes in the wake of the continued struggle for accountability in a case that symbolizes the horrors of communal violence in India.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the now 28-year-old eyewitness, who resides in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, was a child of seven when he witnessed the brutal mob attack that resulted in the killing of 14 Muslims and the gang rape of Bilkis Bano by members of Hindutva RSS, BJP, and Bajrang Dal. The Observer Post reported his vivid recollections of the traumatic incident, which continue to haunt him years later.

The release of the 11 convicts, originally sentenced to life in prison, in August 2022 was met with dismay by the eyewitness. However, he expressed some relief following the Supreme Court of India’s decision on January 8 this year, which overturned the Gujarat government’s premature release of these convicts. This ruling was a response to the atrocities committed during the 2002 Gujarat anti-Muslim riots, sparked by the Godhra train burning.

A social activist, who sheltered the eyewitness and later became his guardian, recounted the harrowing events of March 3, 2002. The attack led to the deaths of 14 people, including an infant, and the gang rape of Bilkis Bano. In 2005, the eyewitness’s testimony before a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai proved pivotal. His accounts supported Bilkis Bano’s statements and aided in identifying four of the accused.

The enduring impact of this case highlights the deep scars left by communal violence in India and the ongoing efforts to seek justice for the victims.