"Shut Down Anganwadis Nationwide!" Udaipur Worker’s Suicide Ignites Protests, Women Demand Justice

Udaipur- Anganwadi workers from the Udaipur division in Rajasthan staged a protest outside the district collectorate on Monday afternoon, demanding justice for their colleague, Anjubala Dalal, a 55-year-old Anganwadi worker who allegedly died by suicide.

The demonstrators, led by Munna Kunwar, the president of the Udaipur division Anganwadi workers, called for stringent action against those responsible for Dalal’s death. They submitted a memorandum demanding the harshest punishment, including the death penalty, for the culprits, asserting that they seek “a life for a life” and nothing less.

The protesters expressed outrage over the alleged systemic neglect and harassment faced by Anganwadi workers, which they claim drove Dalal to take her life. They accused officials of the Women and Child Development Department of mental harassment and corruption, alleging that workers are coerced into paying bribes under pressure. The workers also highlighted that two individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, but others allegedly involved remain at large.

In an emotional appeal, Kunwar urged the Modi government to shut down Anganwadi centers nationwide if it cannot improve workers’ conditions or increase their honorarium. “We don’t want our sisters to lose their lives,” she said.

The incident that sparked the protest occurred on the night of July 4, when Anjubala Dalal consumed poison near the Hanuman temple at Delhi Gate in Udaipur’s Dhanmandi area. According to Dhanmandi Station House Officer Ravindra Singh, Dalal contacted her son after ingesting the poison, informing him of her condition. Her family rushed her to the district hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead.

Before her death, Dalal recorded a video in which she accused health department officials of subjecting her to mental harassment. She specifically named a colleague, Atika, alleging that she was responsible for the torment. Dalal, who had served as an Anganwadi supervisor at the Bhilu Rana Anganwadi Centre on Sajjangarh Road for 30–35 years, reportedly faced significant pressure and mistreatment, which she detailed in the video.

Based on a complaint filed by her son, Anmol Dalal, the police have registered a case and are investigating the allegations. Speaking with the media on monday, Anmol alleged that his mother was a very strong women and not anyone who would give up so easily. But if she had taken such a drastic step, something extreme she would have faced.

Munna Kunwar, speaking to the media, described the situation as “extremely tragic,” accusing the BJP-led government of forcing women into desperate measures, including suicide. She criticized the government for touting anti-corruption measures while failing to address the plight of Anganwadi workers, who are allegedly pushed into dire circumstances.

Kunwar claimed that workers are compelled to conduct door-to-door face-capture activities, during which they face physical assaults and harassment. She labeled the government as “deaf and mute” to the concerns of women, despite its public rhetoric about women’s welfare.

She added that if the government cannot support them, workers would rather find alternative means of survival or, in extreme despair, resort to collective suicide rather than endure such conditions.