10-Year-Old Girl’s Hunger Strike Sparks Victory in Agra Village’s Protest Against Liquor Shop

In a remarkable display of courage and determination, 10-year-old Anshika Sikarwar from Uttar Pradesh’s Agra district emerged as the face of a grassroots protest that ultimately compelled local authorities to take action.

Her decision to join an ongoing indefinite hunger strike against a liquor shop in her village, Kaulara Kalan, turned the tide in a struggle that had persisted for years.

The young Class 4 student made headlines last week when she announced that she, too, would stop eating and drinking in solidarity with her fellow villagers.

Her father, Bunty, a local farmer, initially opposed her involvement, concerned for her health and safety. However, Anshika remained resolute.

“She wouldn’t listen,” Bunty recalled. “She said that if I could go without food, so could she. She told me she was doing it for the women of our village.”

The protest had been underway since April 1, with villagers demanding that a liquor shop, which had operated near the entrance of their village for the past four to five years, be removed.

According to the residents, the shop’s location had become a source of discomfort and social unrest—especially for women and children who frequently had to pass by it.

Local women expressed concerns that men, after consuming alcohol from the shop, would often become aggressive, leading to increased incidents of domestic violence.

“The drinking leads to fights at home,” said one villager. “Our daughters and sisters don’t feel safe walking past that area. We have been raising our voices for years, but no one listened—until now.”

The protest gained renewed attention and media coverage after Anshika’s participation, especially as her father’s health began to decline due to the ongoing hunger strike. Her bold move drew the attention of officials, prompting action from higher authorities.

On April 19, just two days after Anshika joined the agitation, the district administration officially responded. Neeraj Kumar Dwivedi, the Excise Officer of Agra district, acknowledged the villagers’ grievances and assured them that the liquor shop would be relocated.

“The shop has been in operation at the same spot for nearly half a decade,” Dwivedi stated. “We have finally decided to shift it to a location chosen by the villagers.

Instructions have been issued to the shop contractor accordingly. However, until a suitable alternative site is finalized, the shop will remain functional under regulated oversight.”

Anshika’s efforts were further recognized on Saturday when Babita Chauhan, chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Commission for Women, personally visited the protest site. Chauhan persuaded the young girl to end her fast and offered her a glass of juice to break it.

She praised Anshika’s courage and vowed to escalate the matter to the highest levels of the state government to ensure the shop’s swift relocation.

“I have instructed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Fatehabad, Abhay Singh, as well as officials from the Excise Department, to immediately begin the process of moving the liquor outlet.

This issue deserves urgent attention, and I am committed to seeing it through,” Chauhan declared.

The liquor shop protest, which had quietly simmered in the village for years, finally reached a turning point thanks to the unlikely heroism of a young girl who decided to act when others hesitated.

Her voice, echoing the sentiments of countless women and families, brought much-needed attention to a long-ignored issue.

Now, with promises from authorities and the commitment of government representatives, the people of Kaulara Kalan are hopeful that their village will soon be free of the liquor outlet that had caused so much unrest.

As for Anshika, she has returned home and resumed her daily routine, but in the hearts of her fellow villagers, she remains a symbol of strength, resilience, and the power of youth-driven change.