1984 Delhi Sikh Genocide - Affidavits

Affidavit submitted before the Misra Commission

I, Charanjit Kaur W/o S. Inderjit Singh, aged 32 yrs., R/o B-3/117, Nand Nagri, Delhi, at present residing at C-107 A, Tilak Vihar, New Delhi-110018, do hereby solemnly affirm and state as under: -

1. That I was residing at the above mentioned address till November, 1984, with following members of my family: -

Husband, Inderjit Singh, 34 yrs.

Son, Surinder Singh, 13 yrs.

Son, Gurdeep Singh, 12 yrs.

Son, Ranjit Singh, 9 yrs.

Son, Harvinder Singh, 6 yrs.

My husband was a property dealer.

2. On the 1st November, 1984, in the morning we saw smoke all around, rising from Loni Road area and from the nearby hotel and petrol pumps which belonged to Sardars. I saw a mob consisiting of roughly 500 persons and armed with lathis and cannister of kerosene oil entered and set fire to the Gurdwara at Nand Nagri. They were looting and burning the houses of Sikhs in Block B-5. The mob used to refill their cannisters from kerosene shops.

3. The whole day I spent in the Namakwala Munshi Ram's house to which I had fled with my family. Another Sardar family was also there. In the evening, some people out of whom I recognized were Om Prakash Namakwala, Manshi Ram, Egg seller and Chhida Mistry and Khaboo, Kharorewala (all residing in my gali) approached the house. Om Parkash said "Hame Mallom Hai Jahan Jahan Sardar Chipe Huya Hain, Agar Jann Piyari Hain to Bahar Nikal Do Nahin to Raat Ko Ham Tumhare Gharon Ko Bhi Jala Denge." On hearing this, Munshi Ram (Namakwala) got frightened and told us to go back to our own houses and that nothing would happen to us.

4. My husband was hiding in the "Barsati" in the next house but neither I nor Munshi Ram knew of this. I could dop nothing but return to my house with my children.

5. The four people, Om Parkash, Kanshi Ram, Chida Mistry and Khabboo as well as all the neighbors gheroed my house and burnt bonfire. They were hunting everywhere for my husband.

6. Finally Kanshi Ram found my husband hiding in a house. He somehow managed to escape and entered unseen in to our house. He told me to get ready to escape before dawn. Two Hindu women from the gali came and told me that the C-Block jamadars were coming this way in a large mob and wanted to kill all Sikh families.

7. My husband ran towards a nearby roof to hide, telling me to take the children and try to get a scooter. By this time the mob had already surrounded the galis. The people had lathis, sariyas and kerosene oil. I hid in opposite Purabiyas house. My husband came out of his hiding disguised in a sheet. He had cut off his hair but the men identified him and told the others "Yeh Raha Property Dealer." Nobody tried to save my husband. One man hit him on the back with a lathi. He tried to crawl under a bench but Khabboo dragged him out and knifed him in the stomach with a ‘Kirpan'. I ran out to save my husband, but could not. They dragged my husband by his feet towards the dispensary and put him near two Sardars who were already burning. He died then as the fire reached his body. I ran upstairs in order to hide or disguise myself. Some men saw me and shouted "Uski Aurat Ko Bhi Pakar Kar Le Aaoo, Usko Bhi Aur Bachon Ko Bhi Jala Denge." But I had worn a dhoti by then and was sitting in the kitchen, so they could not recognize me.

8. Much later in the night the army arrived after which the mob slowly dispersed. I returned home to find it looted and burnt. I sat with my children and another Sardar family in the gali. Just then one of the two Hindu women who had earlier helped us, came and said that we would be killed if we did not leave the place. With her help I hide my children in a neighbour house. Chhida Mistry and Kiran saw where I was hiding them and kept making rounds of the area and threatening to come back to kill children. She then took me to the Police Chowki at Nand Nagri where there were many other women. An army man fetched my children from the hideout. That night we were all taken to Durgapuri Gurdwara.

9. On the night of the 1st November,1984, the Namakwala's son reported at the Police Chowki that they were sheltering two Sardars. The policemen told him "Dono Sardaroon Ko Gagan Cinema Ke Upar Se Niche Phenk Do."

10. From Durgapuri I was taken on the 2nd November,1984, to Shyam Lal College Camp and from there to Nanaksar. The galiwalas especially Kiran kept threatening us even at the camps saying "abhi jo Sardar bach gaye hain unko bhi hum khatam karenge, bachon ko bhi nahi chorenge." The men responsible for murder of my husband and looting our house are supporters of Kishori Lal and the Councillor.

11. I can recognized most of the people of the mob. Om Parkash himself killed the Sardars of B-3/114-115, by breaking their heads with lathis.

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