1984 Delhi Sikh Genocide - Affidavits

Affidavit submitted before the Misra Commission

Affidavit of S. Baljit Singh son of S. Hem Singh aged 25 years resident of 26/181-182, West Patel Nagar, New Delhi.

I, the deponent above named do hereby solemnly state on oath as under: -

1. When we reached home on 31.10.84 nothing untoward happened in the way. When I reached home I came to know that my Patiala Transport Company situated at Pul Mithai, Delhi had been set ablaze. One Kewal Singh informed about this fire at my Qutab Road Office which in turn telephoned me. The mob which set fire to my company was very big. At that time the police did not stop the mob at all.

2. This incident took place at 9 or 9:30 PM. The fire brigade was also telephoned but their response was that they do not have any arrangement at that time.

3. On 1.11.84 at 7 or 7.30 AM we came to know that in the blocks near our area (West Patel Nagar) the mob was on rampage. The mob was attacking, looting and setting houses ablaze.

4. At 8 or 8.30 AM we were in our home when 25 – 30 men attacked our house. These men had iron rods, lathi etc. in their hands and brick batted our house severely. When these men entered our house after breaking open the door my father came out but he fell down unconscious after being hit by a stone and getting badly hurt. All of us were in the house at that time. The mob set ablaze our two scooter parked in the verandah of our house. They took out many of our household articles and made a bonfire of them.

5. During this entire attack the police did not came to our rescue at all. We rang up Ambulance after the mob had left. We got the reply that there was no arrangement of Ambulance. When we rang up police for help the response was that they were coming but nobody turned up.

6. There were some local men also among the attackers who appeared to be leading the mob. Out of them one Daara Badmash (Bad Character) was pointing towards our house and counseling something to the mob. At the same time Ram Kumar Contractor, Kishan Lal and Shukla (Bad Character) attacked our house. Bad Character Daara was actively engaged in the attack.

7. The men in the mob were shouting slogans, "Sardaron Ne Indira Ko Maara Hai, Hum Inko Nahin Chhorenge, Sardar sab gaddar hain" (Sardars have killed Indira, we will not spare them. Sardars are traitors).

8. The mob continued severe attack for 15 – 20 minutes.

9. After the mob had left, my father, with the help of our neighbour, got admitted in the Khera Hospital, my mother accompanied him.

10. Mob came again on 1-11-1984 at 11.30 – 12.00 Noon. At that time we had left our house and had secured refuge in the house of our neighbour. Our neighbour's told the mob that Sardars have left the place. The mob went away after pelting stones. This was narrated to me by the neighbour when I came to my house after some time.

11. As peace prevailed for some time I collected some of the valuables from my house in an attache case and remained in the house while other members of my family were in the house of neighbours.

12. After some time my brother also came to me and we remained in that house upto 6 PM. At about 6 PM a car came towards that side. When this car took a turn. I found Ashoka's (Lion) monogram on the rear of that car. A red light was glowing at the roof of the car. From that it appeared to be a Government car. It did not stop there. Instead it took a turn and went away from a side.

13. This car left from one side while from the other side I heard the commotion of a mob. At about 6.30 – 6.45 the mob attacked my house. In this mob also there were Daara (Bad Character) and his accomplice. I swiftly climbed my roof and from there I jumped to the house of neighbour. At the same time my brother took refuge in the house of somebody else.

14. Previously I saw only 20 – 25 men in the mob but when I escaped to the roof of the house of my neighbour I found that the number of attackers exceeded 500. Daara (Bad Character) was inciting the mob at that time. In the meantime the mob came inside the house and started setting it ablaze.

15. Even at that time the Police was not in sight and the police did not came to help us at all.

16. The mob chased me to the roof. But I scaled the roofs of other peoples house and ultimately came to the verandha of a neighbour's house where cauliflower plants had been grown. I remained lying down there for a long time. After some time one of my friends came there. He put a cot over me so that I could hidden from the view of the mob.

17. At 7.30 my friend escorted me to the roof top and to save myself I went to the roof of a neighbour's house. At that time a car came towards that side. I saw that Dharam Dass Shastri (MP) was sitting on one side of the car towards the door. He did not stop his car there. And at that time I ran towards Block No.38. There I watched everything from the cement grill of the roof of a house where I hid myself. The mob continued searching me and my brother. They also continued looting, brick batting and setting fire to my house. I remained at the room top for the whole night and on 2.11.84 at about 6 AM went to Baljit Nagar where I remained upto 4-11-1984.

18. In all I suffered a loss of about Rs.1.5 lakh on account of my residential unit.

19. The police did not help us in any manner during this occurrence.

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