Click to play videoPatna: After a wait of 18 long years, the victims of Bhagalpur riots may finally get justice.
Jalebi Khatun and Harisha have been waiting for 18 years to see those who killed their family members punished.
Jalebi lost eight members of her family while Harisha is the lone survivor in hers. Both are residents of Logai village in Bhagalpur district where 116 people were killed in the riots of 1989.
Says Harisha, “They had killed my brothers and sisters and buried them. They later planted vegetables on the ground where my siblings were buried.”
Over 1,000 people were killed in the riots across the district. The special court hearing the cases found 14 people guilty for the Logai killings. Ten had already been convicted in the past.
While the judgement comes as a relief for those like Jalebi and Harisha, it has also been an occasion to make some political point.
“The state government at that time was responsible for the delays in giving justice to these people. The governments after that didn't do anything also,” says Minister for Urban Development, Government of Bihar, Ashwani Chaubey.
Whatever be the reason for the riots, those affected now are looking up to another date in court, which is June 27, when the quantum of punishment will be announced.
Justice delayed is justice denied. And this is exactly what has been happening in the Bhagalpur riot case where over 1,000 people were butchered to death.
However, finally there is a ray of hope that law will prevail and the culprits will be brought to book.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
More on IBNLive Right Now
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
